Proverbs 14:5 (NIV)
5 An honest witness does not deceive, but a false witness
pours out lies.
In the administration of justice much depends upon the
witnesses, and therefore it is necessary to the common good that witnesses be
principled as they ought to be; for, 1. A witness that is conscientious will
not dare to give in a testimony that is in the least untrue, nor, for good-will
or ill-will, represent a thing otherwise than according to the best of his
knowledge, whoever is pleased or displeased, and then judgment runs down like a
river. 2. But a witness that will be bribed, and biassed, and browbeaten, will
utter lies (and not stick nor startle at it), with as much readiness and
assurance as if what he said were all true. [Matthew Commentary]
Flywheel is a film about Jay, a Christian used-car
salesman who becomes convicted that he has been grossly overcharging his
customers. In this scene, conviction begins to settle in Jay's heart when he
manipulates the sale of a car to his pastor.
As the scene opens, Jay is standing in the used car lot
when he notices that his pastor is looking at a car. Jay walks over and says,
"Well, the good Reverend came after all!"
"Jay, how's the car business today?" the pastor
replies.
"We're making ends meet. It's good to see you. Tell
me what I can do for you?"
"Well, I'm looking for a car for my daughter. She's
our last one. I wish she were here, but she's out shopping for clothes with her
mother. I'm just trying to find a good buy for her."
"Well, let me commit to giving you a good
deal," Jay says, licking his chops.
The scene shifts to two salesmen that are sitting in the
office that oversees the parking lot. Watching the interaction between Jay and
the pastor, one salesman says to the other, "Hey, who is that guy with
Jay? I think I've seen him before."
The other salesman looks out the window and says,
"He's a minister, isn't he? Jay will probably give him a deal."
"Twenty bucks says he doesn't!" the other
salesman fires back, knowing full well that Jay is a swindler.
"Do you really think he's going to stiff a
minister?"
"Twenty bucks says he will!"
"You're on," the other salesman replies, and
both watch from the window. As they watch Jay and his pastor examining a Camry,
they check the files to see its listed price. The Camry is worth $6,500.
"Jay will sell it for $8,000," one salesman
says. The other replies, "$7,000."
The scene shifts back to Jay and his pastor. After
answering his pastor's questions about the Camry, Jay says, "I've got
$8,500 in this car. If you want, I'll give it to you for $9,000."
Thinking it over, the Reverend decides to take it for a
test drive. When Jay comes into the office, one of salesmen asks, "Is he
buying it?"
"He might," Jay replies.
"You think he will?"
"I do."
"How do you know?"
"I sell cars for a living."
"Ha! At what price?"
The next scene shows Jay's pastor signing on the dotted
line. As Jay walks the minister to the Camry, the two salesmen check the bill
on the desk. They're surprised to see that Jay sold the car for $9,000, and
they argue over who won the bet.
When the scene shifts back to Jay and his pastor, the
pastor says, "Jay, thanks. You've treated me so well today. I would like
to do something for you. I'd like to pray and ask God to bless you and your
business."
"I'd appreciate that," Jay stutters.
"Let's pray." The minister puts his hand on
Jay's shoulder, and says, "Lord, today I come before you and thank you for
this day. I thank you for Jay and his business. I thank you for the car for
Lindsay, and I ask that you protect her and give her grace as she drives this
car. And Lord, I ask that you treat Jay just like he treated me today in this
deal. In your name I pray, Lord, Amen."
"Amen," Jay says softly. As the minister drives
away, Jay is left standing in the parking lot with a guilty look on his face.
[Flywheel (Sherwood Pictures, 2003), directed and written
by Alex Kendrick; submitted by Jerry De Luca, Montreal West, Quebec, Canada]
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