October 20, 2013 Little Lies?

Read 1 Samuel 20-22

Lies Aren’t Ever Little

 1 Sam 21:1-3 David went to the town of Nob to see Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he saw him. “Why are you alone?” he asked. “Why is no one with you?” 2 “The king has sent me on a private matter,” David said. “He told me not to tell anyone why I am here. I have told my men where to meet me later. 3 Now, what is there to eat? Give me five loaves of bread or anything else you have.”

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1 Sam 22:18 Then the king said to Doeg, “You do it.” So Doeg the Edomite turned on them and killed them that day, eighty-five priests in all, still wearing their priestly garments.

DAVID and Saul sin. Is one worse than the other?

     First, we see David lying to Ahimelech to get food and a weapon. Because of his lie, Saul, in the second scripture, accused Ahimelech of helping David escape. Saul used Doeg, the Edomite—a non-Jew—to do his dirty work and kill all the priests and their families.

     Do you ever think a little lie makes no difference? Sure, it seemed right for David to lie to Ahimelech. It was so convenient, and Ahimelech didn’t need to know everything. Could David have been thinking, “My life is certainly worth a little lie.” David’s fear for his life cost many innocents their lives. And Saul’s fear for his kingdom drove him to order the senseless killing. Yes, sin creeps from place to place, person to person, never isolated in one place.  

     Whatever you do involves others. Sin does harm in places you cannot know. In turn, a blameless life offers good in places you can’t imagine.   

A Moment’s Thought: Where did “Little white lie” come from?