The Consequences of a "White Lie"

For purposes of this article let’s define a “white lie” as a “fact that’s not totally untrue”.  A “white lie” is used when one thinks the “whole truth” won’t work.  Intrigue develops when one adds  the principle “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

Combined, these two are a prescription for difficulty.  This difficulty popped up for Abram (later, “Abraham”) when he went to Egypt in search of grain for there was famine in the land.  Abram’s wife, Sarai (later, “Sarah’) was attractive and he thought Pharaoh would kill him to take her.  So Abram said to Sarai, “Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you”(Genesis 12:13).

Sarai agreed and indeed Abram was treated well for her sake even to his being given, “sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels (Genesis 12:16).  But God was watching over his covenant-partners, Abram and Sarai, and brought great plagues upon Pharaoh’s house.  Pharaoh discerns the cause of the plagues and wants to know why Abram lied to him, telling him Sarai was his sister.  (The plain fact of the matter is Sarai was a half-sister to Abram.)  Pharaoh did not wait upon Abram’s answer, rather he “sent him away, with his wife and all that he had” (including Hagar, a female servant) (Genesis 12:20).

Had matters ended here Abram may have thought a simple tongue-lashing from Pharaoh a small price to pay for his indiscretion but, matters continue.  Seeking through self-effort to provide Abram with an off-spring, Sarai suggested he take Hagar, the Egyptian handmaid, a gift resulting from Abram's "white lie", and have a child by her.  This happened and Ishmael was his name. But such self-directed activity did not please God.  He was determined Abram and Sarai should have a child between them, though she was long past the age for bearing children.  On the way to the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abram and Sarai, God changed their names to Abraham and Sarah, re-affirming His Covenant with them.  Then Sarah bore a son, Isaac.

Before long Sarah could not bear the sight of Hagar and Ishmael in the household and said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac” (Genesis 21:10).  Reluctantly, Abraham did this but God determined to bless Ishmael because he was Abraham’s son.

Time passes;  much time—about 4,000 years.  The descendants of Ishmael populate what we now call the “Middle-East”, with many of them being Arabs and most of the Arabs being Muslims.  And virtually all of them, Arabs and Muslims, opposed to the people of Israel who are descendants of Isaac.  This critical, “end of the age” scenario has come about because Abram told a “white lie”.  This set in motion a chain of events that illustrates a foundational principle of God, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

Now the whole earth is experiencing the consequences of Abram’s “White Lie”.  No matter the cost, let us be determined to put aside all duplicity—for our sake, for the sake of our families, for the sake of the world.