Johnny and Charley were about the same age and they lived next door to each other. There was an old rusty wire fence between their two yards, but Johnny and Charley had found a clear low place under the fence where they brought their little shovels, toy cars, toy trucks and toy tractors. They had a good time playing together in the dirt hole they had made there.
One day, Charley came to the hole under the fence with a little yellow plastic toy car which Johnny had not seen before, but Johnny knew it was special. He knew it was a Cadillac! Johnny wished he had a special car
like that.
Another day, not long after, Johnny came to the hole under the fence and noticed that the little yellow plastic Cadillac was there — and that Charley wasn’t there. Johnny decided to take the little toy car away and hide it.
Perhaps a day or two later, Charley and Johnny met at the hole again, and Charley noticed that his little yellow car was missing. He must have remembered how Johnny looked at that car.
“You took my car,” said Charley.
“No, I didn’t,” lied Johnny.
“Yes, you did,” said Charley. “Give it back to me.”
“I don’t have it,” said Johnny, lying again.
“I’ll tell my mother,” said Charley.
I don’t remember what Johnny said then, but I think that he was naughty enough to think that Charley’s mother couldn’t do much.
Charley’s mother came and talked to Johnny. He still insisted that he did not have the car. But, apparently Charley’s mother believed her son more than she believed Johnny, so she talked with Johnny’s mother.
Johnny’s mother asked both of the boys about the car, and Johnny still insisted that he had not stolen the car. But Johnny’s mother knew him very well, and she suspected that he was lying. She kept questioning Johnny until he gave up and confessed that he had taken the toy car. Johnny got the car and gave it back to Charley, and he told Charley that he was sorry that he had taken the car and that he had lied to him.
And he told Charley’s mother that he was sorry for stealing and for lying to her.
And then he had to tell his mother that he was sorry that he had stolen the car and that he had lied to Charley, and that he had lied to Charley’s mother, and that he had lied to her. Johnny remembers that part quite well. Johnny does not remember if his mother punished him for his lying and stealing, though he thinks she probably did. But he certainly has never forgotten the theft, the lies, and the lessons he learned that day.
What lessons did Johnny learn that day?
“Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:2323But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out. (Numbers 32:23)). Johnny thought that nobody saw him and that he could get away with stealing. He forgot that God saw everything and loved him too much to let him get away with sin.
“He that [covers] his sins shall not prosper: but whoso [confesses] and [forsakes] them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:1313He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)). Johnny thought that he could cover his stealing by lying. Instead, all he did was make things worse. Johnny cannot remember how often he lied that day — to Charley, to Charley’s mother, and to his own mother. Sins add up so quickly!
I am glad to be able to say that Johnny and Charley were good friends again after that day. And I am happier to tell you that Johnny came to trust the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, so that now he can write about what he did and know that “the blood of Jesus Christ His [God’s] Son [cleanses] us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)).
We all sin. The good news is that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:99If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)). Never be afraid to tell the truth! God’s love is greater than our sins, and He can forgive us and help us when we don’t try to cover our sins.
Messages of God’s Love 8/21/2022