False Pretenses - Kathy Herman [125]
Does anything we think, say, or do escape the notice of the God of the universe? I imagine few of us have a story of deception as extreme as Zoe’s. But have we ever been guilty of pretending not to see a sin area in our lives, as if ignoring it will make it invisible to God? Is there anything, past or present, we’re so ashamed of that we lie to cover up? Something that would make our faces burn with shame if it were published on the front page of the newspaper?
Shelby Sieger was not a horrible person. She was wounded, her spirit crushed, her self-image malformed. The shame she bore from her abuse was intensely painful. But the lies and the deception she employed in an attempt to “escape her past” were ineffectual and destructive—and ultimately resulted in even more shame.
Zoe tried to justify her deceptive methods as necessary to ensure her survival and happiness. She cleverly managed to avoid going to jail but was instead locked in an emotional prison. Changing her name to Zoe Benoit didn’t erase the ugly truth of her past. Disowning her family, stealing from Adele, and marrying Pierce under false pretenses didn’t set her free. Nor did it heal her wounded spirit or change who she really was. Ultimately, Zoe came to understand that only in Christ could she find her true identity.
I didn’t know until the last few chapters that Pierce’s father, Burke Broussard, would teach his son about the importance of extending grace, or that Adele Woodmore would be the one to bring Zoe and Pierce to the real Source of all grace. I love it when my fingers receive those “pearls” from above.
Well … we certainly haven’t heard the last of the Broussards, their little Grace to come, or the Langleys and the rest of the cast of characters in Les Barbes. Join me in book two, where we will discover more secrets of Roux River Bayou. Prepare to stay up late. It promises to be page-turner.
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In Him,
DISCUSSION GUIDE
1. Why do you think our family of origin is so important to our self-image? What elements go into forming a healthy self-image? When those elements are missing in a child’s life, who is responsible? When those elements are missing in an adult’s life, who is responsible? Where do we find our true identity?
2. At what point in time should an adult take responsibility for dealing with the wounds of his or her childhood? Do you agree or disagree with this statement: “It’s not your fault if you grew up dysfunctional, but it is your fault if you stay that way.” Explain your answer. Were Zoe’s parents responsible for the choices she made?
3. Do you think people who carry around the wounds of childhood are handicapped in their decision-making ability? Zoe’s “victim mentality” allowed her to justify helping herself to Adele’s ring in order to achieve her financial independence. What was wrong with that thinking? What, if anything, might Zoe have done differently to achieve the same goal? What options might she have had? Would it have made any difference in the right or wrong of her actions if no other options were available to her?
4. In your opinion, what constitutes a lie? Why do you think lying is offensive to God? Zoe told some whoppers, but do you think “white lies” are acceptable? Is deceiving the same thing as lying? Can you name some biblical characters that got into trouble by deceiving others? How far-reaching were the consequences? Have you ever been deceived by someone you trusted? Were you able to forgive the person? Were you ever able to trust that person again?
5. What do you think is meant by 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come”? When God pours out His saving grace, which is it that is paid in full: the penalty of one’s sin or the consequences? Will the “new creation” be set free from the earthly consequences