The Law in 90 Days: Genesis 43-44
SCRIPTURE READING
Proverbs 26:18-19 (NIV); Like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows is a man who
deceives his neighbour and says, “I was only joking!”
It’s easy to cover up a moment of embarrassment or shame with the words, “Just kidding!” We see
little children using these words when they are caught provoking a sibling, “But I was just jokin’,
Mom!” Many women have experienced the mortification of seeing the woman they just gossiped
about step out of the bathroom stall. The transgressors are left floundering with an awkward
“hello”, “oh, we didn’t mean it” or nothing but a deer-caught-in-headlights look. Whatever the
situation, most people have felt the panicky feeling that comes when the lie is exposed.
Most of us wouldn’t admit to being flat out liars, but deception is a friend of human nature. God is
Truth; Satan, the father of lies. Every misconception we have about God and about ourselves is
rooted in a lie, or half-truth (which equals a lie). Therefore God is dedicated to revealing His truth
to a broken and confused world. When we blatantly deceive others, we rebel against God’s very
nature.
We tend to think that if we approach sin with light-heartedness, the severity lessens. This is a lie in
and of itself. Making light about sex by telling dirty jokes desecrates what God has made sacred. In
the same way, “fibbing” and concealing information defiles God’s truth.
Envision the proverb above: making light of deception is like an insane person running around
with poisonous arrows, shooting at random. This isn’t just a funny little saying; it is God’s picture of
warning to us.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how you have made light of sin. Ask Him to help you
understand God’s true heart about these issues.
2. Where is deception an issue for you? Scrutinize your life and be honest about what you find.
Is there anything you need to confess to God, or to others?
3. Ask God to reveal some personal struggles that you tend to gloss over; perhaps things that
you pretend aren’t as big a deal as they are (body issues, loneliness, etc). Ask God to show
you His truth and wisdom about these things.
