The Blue Mark
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Proverbs 28:13 KJV
This is an original fictional illustration, not a historical report or an added Bible event.
Owen drew a blue line on the wall by mistake. He pushed a chair in front of it and hoped nobody would see. Each time someone moved near the chair, he felt worried.
At last Owen told his dad what he had done. He also admitted that he had tried to hide it. Dad helped him find a safe way to clean the mark, and Owen put his crayons back at the table.
Hiding a wrong does not make it disappear. Proverbs teaches us to confess and forsake sin. Confess means to admit it honestly. Forsake means to turn away from it. Tell the truth and leave the hiding place behind.
For the grown-up reading along
The proverb contrasts concealing sin with confessing and forsaking it. Mercy is not purchased by pretending to improve. Honest repentance stops defending the wrong and turns from it toward God.
Read the KJV passage aloud. Explain unfamiliar words in ordinary language without changing the quotation.
Read further: Proverbs 28 in the King James Bible.