TRUTH, A WORTHY INVESTMENT

Each year under the intoxicating influence of adrenaline, thrill-seekers look for the next spot to put to test their daredevil tendencies. One such place can be found in Huayin City in the Shaanxi province of China. Boasting five awe-inspiring peaks, it is an unimaginable mixture of beauty and danger all wrapped up together. Though I have never experienced it myself, a picture of narrow wooden planks hugging a sheer and treacherous mountainside sums it up quite well. Admittedly, much effort has been exercised in recent years in order to make the thrill-seeking spot a safer tourist destination; however, the unwritten history of Mt. Huashan is one of countless deaths. Although official numbers cannot be verified, many have suggested that upwards to 100 people per year meet an awful demise at the merciless hands of the mountain.

What would drive someone to dare the power of gravity and test the limits of bravery to such a degree? What is it about people, in general, that causes us to inch ever so brazenly towards the edge of a precipice? This is true not only in the physical world of cliffs, gorges and treacherous canyons but also in the spiritual world.

Although it may not be driven by a hunger for an adrenaline rush, the fact remains, we are far too often guilty of seeing how close we can toe the line of sin. Like a thrill-seeking adrenaline junky, we at times display an utter disregard for the cliff-like danger ahead. Such a scenario is most definitely the case in regards to the high calling to speak truth; especially in the 21st century. Rather than embracing a robust commitment to speak the truth in all things we often find ourselves seeing just how close to falsehood we can tip-toe without falling into the abyss of sin. For the record, this is often done in a seemingly honorable attempt to protect the feelings of others. Unfortunately, we seldom consider the fact that even our good intentions can have bad results. In a world permeated with half-truths and whole lies, God calls us to radical honesty and unshakable gentleness. Both ingredients are absolutely necessary if we ever hope to impact the increasingly secularized culture in which we live. However, in order to embody the kind of radical honesty God calls us to, we need to, first of all, be honest about one of the more subtle spiritual myths that is often peddled in the bustling streets of the Christian crowd. The myth I speak of pertains to the ever so evasive “White Lie”. Understanding this “animal” is about as easy as explaining a box of enigmas. The reason for this assertion is simple; a “White lie” cannot be both “white” and a “lie” at the same time if in describing it as “White” one is suggesting a condition of purity or cleanliness. The fact of the matter is that lies; all shapes, sizes, and colors, are detestable to God. It is for this reason that we should find it of no surprise that radical honesty is God’s unwavering standard for all His people.

Defining Our Terms

Any profitable discussion on questionable topics should begin with definitions. This case is no exception. What is a lie? What does it mean to speak something less than the truth? Is a “White lie” the same as a regular lie?

For starters, let’s consider a general definition of a “White lie” as commonly understood in society. In most cases, a “White Lie” is understood to be a minor, polite or harmless breach in truth, typically done in order to avoid hurting someone’s feelings. A “Lie” on the other hand could simply be defined as the act of making an untrue statement with intent to deceive or creating a false or misleading impression[i]. Of interest is the fact that even though the intent may be different, the result is essentially the same. Both the white and non-white lie entail a breach in truth. Though the arguments will rage at this point and the focus will inevitably zoom in on the value of intent; one fact remains, our sin is not considered treachery merely because it hurts our fellow man but primarily because it is an affront to our Creator.

The Vertical Offense

How should we understand the true nature of sin? Though we may not be quick to say it, many of us likely have an understanding of sin that focuses merely on the horizontal perspective. By saying horizontal, I am referring to the manner in which our words, thoughts, and deeds affect our fellow man. Perhaps this is why something as seemingly benign as a “White Lie” is winked at even as it stares back at us with a devious grin. We justify it in our minds because, after all, in our perspective, it is hurting absolutely no one. (A notion that in itself requires more thoughtful contemplation) Nevertheless, we would do well to remember that the true ugliness of sin will never be fully understood so long as we look at it from the horizontal perspective. Only when we stretch out our hand and remove the painted masks that we so craftily dress our sin with do we ultimately see its true identity. For when we do so, we realize with painful awareness that the face of our sin, even that which is painted white, has a face that is rebelliously directed towards God our Creator. This is precisely what D.A Carson so masterfully writes about in his excellent book, “Scandalous, The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus”. In it he writes the following:

What makes sin sin, what makes it so profoundly heinous, what makes it so deeply repugnant and culpable, is that it is offense against God. We dare not forget that the first commandment, according to Jesus, is the commandment to love God with heart and soul and mind and strength. Thus the first sin—first sequentially, first in fundamental importance—is not to love God with heart and soul and mind and strength. It is the sin we always commit when we commit any other sin. At the most profound level, whenever we sin, God is the most offended party. If, like David, we commit adultery, God is the most offended party. If we cheat on our income taxes, God is the most offended party. If we puff ourselves up in pride, indulge in slander, demean a colleague, or nurture bitterness, God is the most offended party. If we watch porn on the internet, God is the most offended party. David understands this: “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.” And that is why, whatever other forgiveness we try to secure, we must have God’s forgiveness, or we have nothing. Yes, you and I need to forgive one another. Yet in the most profound analysis of what sin is, only God can forgive sin.[ii]

Make no mistake, when we lie, no matter how we may see it in our own eyes, it leaves a stench in God’s nostrils. Although we will discuss the horizontal ramifications a little later, we must begin with the notion that lying in any form is most detestable primarily because God is most displeased. Take for instance the ninth commandment as recorded in Exodus 20:16, “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” On the other hand, we could appeal to passages such as Psalm 5:6, “You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the Lord abhors.” Then again, a simple visit to the book of proverbs would prove more than sufficient to make the case that God detests lying lips.

For instance, Proverbs 12:22 states, “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.” Again in Proverbs 17:7, “Arrogant lips are unsuited to a fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler!” As if this were not clear enough, Solomon goes on to say in Proverbs 19:5, “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will not go free.”

However, this is merely scratching the surface in regards to the biblical witness against lying. In fact, as stated in the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology:

The biblical opposition to all lying originates in the fact that the people of God owe their life and allegiance to “the only true God” (John 17:3). Jesus Christ is “the truth” (John 14:6). The Holy Spirit is “the Spirit of truth” (John 16:13). The Word is always “the truth” (John 17:17). Conversely, Satan is “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). Fundamental to human sin and alienation from God is the choice to “exchange the truth of God for a lie” (Rom. 1:25). There is no middle ground: the people of God must “put off falsehood and speak truthfully” (Eph. 4:25). The choice is between the way of God and the way of Satan. Lying is wrong first of all, then, because it alienates us from the God who is truth itself.[iii]

Again and again, Scripture makes an unmistakable claim that lying is sin and it is anything but harmless. In fact, though we could spend much more time in the wisdom literature of Scripture, the New Testament Epistles are just as much if not more clear about this matter.

For instance, the Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 4:25, “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.”

Moreover, when writing to the Church in Colossae, the Apostle Paul states, “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” (Col 3:9)

In other words, the act of lying, no matter the manner in which we might perceive it, is essentially a retreat into enemy territory. Rather than remaining on the side of God and pursuing truth, we slip away into the dark corners of our hearts and pull out the old uniform we used to wear when we were card-carrying enemies of God. We return to our old self and way of life. What a travesty when God’s people exchange their robe of righteousness, even if for fleeting moments, for the filthy rags of rebellion! Even worse, we do this while dreamingly imagining that our efforts are noble and ultimately for the good of another. But is this really the case? When we engage in the practice of peddling white lies, are we really doing others a favor? Are we truly choosing the best approach in a given situation? Clearly, as we have discovered, lying of any kind is a direct and undeniable expression of rebellion against our creator.

In fact, when we understand and relate rightly with the un-lying-God, the only logical conclusion is that we must put all forms of falsehood far from us. Consider Numbers 23:19, “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” Furthermore, Proverbs 30:5, Titus 1:2 and Hebrews 6:18 all affirm the fact that God never lies.[iv] In essence then, as those who bear the image of God, when we fail to speak the truth we equally fail to reflect God.

As we discussed earlier, the more common way of viewing sin is from a horizontal perspective. We justify practices such as telling “White Lies” because we reason in our minds that such activity is doing anything but harming another person. In doing so, we absolutely miss the true nature of sin and even if inadvertently, we end up leaving God out of our self-made portrait of life. But wait, there’s more. Not only do we fail miserably to acknowledge the vertical offense of our sin but we greatly over-estimate the end result of our attempts to protect the feelings of others.

The Horizontal Offense

It could be argued that “White Lies” are a necessary part of living in a world with real people, real feelings and a real desire to not bring offense to others. Admittedly, when the wife asks the husband whether or not her new outfit makes her look fat, the answer that flows from his mouth must be well crafted and wisely chosen. In like manner, when the boss instructs you to tell that certain “so and so” that he is not in the office, the manner in which you respond is of valuable importance. Even so, God has given us a great capacity for creativity and I suspect if we were to make better use of such an ability we would quickly discover how unnecessary “white lies” actually are. Perhaps one of the greatest reasons we fail to overcome this subtle sin is our perpetual spirit of laziness.

Yet, far greater a concern here is the misguided idea that “white lies” are harmless. We have already discovered that this is certainly not the case from a vertical perspective but neither is it a sure case from a horizontal perspective. In other words, it is highly possible, perhaps even probable, that our seemingly benign practice of telling white lies has and is causing untold and unnoticed harm to those whom we care about.

The Danger of False Realities

For starters, let’s consider the possibility that when we speak with a lying tongue, no matter how seemingly harmless it may be, we could, in fact, be allowing false realities to exist in relationships. A false reality is another way to refer to the practice of building a relationship or even maintaining a relationship on a crumbling foundation. It is common knowledge that if a building is to stand the test of time, it will require a strong and dependable foundation. The same can be said of a healthy relationship; it requires a strong foundation. There is likely no greater way to create a faulty foundation for a relationship than through falsehood. Like creating an inferior mixture of concrete is the practice of combining a little bit of falsehood with a bit of truth. The struggle in the context of relationships is real but certainly not beyond the reach of victory. For instance, some common examples of white lies in the context of relationship include but are certainly not limited to the following: lying about one's age, lying about one’s income, lying about past experiences, lying about one’s preferences or tastes, lying about one’s expectations, etc.

The danger here is that no matter our own reasoning, small lies are still lies, white lies are still lies and all lies are sin according to God’s Word. As a result, when we engage in such practice, even if we do not see an immediate harvest of rotten fruit, we must beware that building a relationship on such a faulty foundation will only result in future trouble. Although I will here take some liberty with it, perhaps Jesus' story of the two builders will emphasize the danger here. Matthew 7:24-27 states the following:

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matt 7:24-27)

In this story, we have both similarities and differences. For instance, the two builders both have access to the building plans, both choose a foundation, both build a structure and both face a storm. However, the differences are significant. One builder refused to acknowledge the construction plans which led him to choose a faulty foundation which ultimately resulted in a ruined structure when faced with the storms of life. Again, perhaps a bit of liberty is being taken here but the principle is undeniable. When we know and understand the clear teaching of God’s word and choose to structure our lives and relationships upon it we will be able to withstand the onslaught of the storms that all earth-dwellers are bound to face. On the other hand, when we know, understand and refuse to abide by the teaching of God’s word, we will still live our lives and build relationship, we will still face storms and try to weather them; however, the conclusion of the matter will inevitably be calamitous.

The reason for this assessment is that those little white lies have a way of turning into big matters of distrust over time. It might be an unguarded moment of passion or frustration, it may be financial pressure that seemingly creeps up or perhaps just a bad day. Whatever the case, when life squeezes from all sides it has a way of pushing out of us the way we truly feel. In such scenarios, our white lies are at times unmasked and what began as a small matter of stretching the truth turns into a large matter of distrust. In short, though our relationships, from a surface level evaluation, may appear to be healthy, if they are built upon the crumbling foundation of white lies, they are bound to fail in the midst of life’s storms. The false realities that we so easily construct may seem to be a good deal on the front end. After all, the cost of discounted truth and white lie’s rarely is un-affordable in the beginning. Nevertheless, the price we end up paying when our false realities begin to unravel is far greater and often carries consequential penalties that few are prepared to pay.

The Danger of Foolish Sin

As if this were not bad enough, there is another side to the danger with white lies that is possibly even worse. Not only can the practice of telling white lies allow false realities to exist in relationships but can also allow foolish sin to continue in relationships. The great German pastor, theologian, and martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, is perhaps most poignant here when he says, “Nothing can be more cruel than the leniency which abandons others to their sin. Nothing can be more compassionate than the severe reprimand which calls another Christian in one’s community back from the path of sin.”[v]

Yet, let’s face it, as difficult as it is for us to receive a hard truth it is at times even more difficult to speak it. The challenge we each face is that which has been present from the beginning. Namely, will we do things God’s way or our way? God’s way is the way of truth. God’s way is the way that often makes us uncomfortable. God’s way is the way that can at times require sacrifice and surrender. However, in the end, God’s way is the only way that ultimately leads to blessing. Make no mistake, it is not here suggested that God’s way is easy or without its challenges. On the contrary, doing life God’s way is perhaps one of the most difficult challenges a person will face in his or her lifetime. This reality comes into view most potently when we begin to understand the biblical mandate to love one another enough to speak the truth to them.

Undeniably is the fact that being a truth-teller is a high and at times difficult calling; but a calling nonetheless. Although it’s true that a passage like 1 Peter 4:8 teaches that we can simply cover sin in love at times, it is equally true that other times call not for a covering of one another’s sin but an uncovering of it. Admittedly, this causes many to squirm in their “proverbial” seats. It’s sometimes easier to pray for a brother or sister in Christ than to have a hard and messy conversation with them. To add to the complication is the fact that many professing Christians have wrongly and recklessly viewed the “ministry of confrontation” as an invitation to insensitive criticism. Nevertheless, the misappropriation of a biblical mandate is never reason enough to dispose of a biblical mandate. God has called each of us to a ministry of confrontation and failing to do so is nothing shy of disobedience.

A classic, vitally important and yet grossly ignored passage that speaks to this matter is Matthew 18:15-17. Jesus begins by stating, “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.” Those familiar with this passage will recall that following this initial word of instruction, Jesus goes on to describe in greater detail the whole process. However, for our purpose here, we need not breeze by the simple phrase, “If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.” In other words, although it may be difficult and though the easy street of white lies may seem preferable, lovingly speaking the truth to one another is a kindness intended to rescue a brother or sister in Christ.

We see this again in Galatians 6:1 where we read, “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” Just from a sampling of these two passages we already begin to see a theme of “rescue” developing. In terms of motivations, this is perhaps one of the greatest as we consider the call to be truth-tellers. Ironically, the typical mantra from those who see white lies as harmless is that engaging in such behavior is a means to love others and protect their feelings. However, this could not be further from the truth. Rather, when we choose to speak less than the truth to others we are equally choosing to express something less than love.

Inevitably, when considering a topic such as this some will call attention to the ever so quoted phrase of Matthew 7:1, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” The problem with grabbing up this readily available phrase to justify the practice of telling “white lies” and the failure to speak the truth in love is that Jesus didn’t stop there. In fact, just a couple of verses later Jesus states the following:

3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matt 7:3-5)

The point of Jesus' teaching was in no way to persuade his followers to stay quiet or worse, speak falsehood. Of interest here is the fact that after Jesus makes clear that self-evaluation is needed if we are to confront the sin of others in the right way, he goes on to state, “then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye”. In other words, on yet another occasion we discover the fact that our speaking the truth to others is intended to be a mission of rescue. Jesus could have said any number of things here but when all was said and done he focused his attention on the ministry of “Speck removal”. Admittedly, there are times when such a ministry is difficult or even beyond reach due to the planks of sin we carry in our own lives. But after removal of such obstructions, we are in fact called to remove the specks in the eyes of others. In other words, fellow believers have a privilege and responsibility to help rescue one another from sin. This simply can’t be done if we are unwilling to risk the feelings of others. At some point we must recognize the fact that at times the greatest love we can show to another person is to love them enough to speak the truth; even if it hurts.

This seems to be the point of Proverbs 27:6 where we read, “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” Make no mistake, at no point, has God’s word assured us that being a truth speaker is an easy task without pain or cost. In fact, as we engage in this journey of becoming a truth speaker we will soon discover that, more or less, it is a call to love others enough to wound them. Yet, as the proverb informs us, such wounds are to be preferred over the gentle kisses of fools.

Moreover, in Ecclesiastes when the wise king is discussing the futilities of life and need to exercise wisdom, he states, “It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7:5) The imagery here is riveting. In fact, it would not be too far-fetched to conclude that in all situations of life we have the option to either sing the song of a fool or speak words of truth. How often have we dressed our words of half-truth in the garments of good intentions without ever realizing that we are just another performer on a fool’s stage?

Much more could be said regarding this matter. However, perhaps the words of the Apostle Paul will serve as a good summary as recorded in Ephesians 4:15. It’s here that the Apostle Paul informs us of the importance of both the message we speak to others as well as the method in which we do it. Paul states, “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” It’s important to remember that Paul has been speaking of the need for God’s people to walk in a manner worthy of their calling. In an effort to enable this, God has provided gifted people for his Church who are given the responsibility to equip the saints for the work of ministry. (Eph 4:12) With the call to walk in a worthy manner in view, Paul makes clear in verse 14 that such a walk is simply not possible if God’s people are tossed here and there by waves and carried away by every doctrine that blows by. On the contrary, the way to walk worthy in the body of Christ is to speak the truth in love. We must give attention to both what we speak and the way we do it; both are necessary.

Thus far we have focused much on the content; namely, truth. However, we should never forget the words of Paul spoken just a little later in Ephesians 4:29, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Again in Proverbs 25:11-12 we read, “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.” In other words, may we never forget that the call to speak the truth is never to be viewed as an invitation to be rash, insensitive or destructive. In fact, the only way we will ever be able to evade the temptation to speak snow-colored lies is to learn the importance and skill of using words to build others up. Our words should be spoken with the tenderness and love that causes others to gladly receive them and wear them as a treasure.

What about the Exceptions?

Inevitably, when discussing this topic, we will find ourselves considering that which seems to be the exceptions to the rule. Consider for instance the following:

“In Exodus, we read about midwives defying Pharaoh’s order to kill Israelite boys. Later, they lied to him about it. They were said to have “feared God” and were rewarded with families of their own. In Joshua, when guards come to capture the Israelite spies, Rahab claims they had already escaped when they were actually hiding on her roof. The Bible, far from denouncing her lie, honors her: “By faith, Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies” (Heb 11:29). In 1 Samuel, David flees from King Saul. Before leaving the country, he makes one last stop at the tabernacle. He lies and tells the priest that he is on a secret mission for the king. He says this so that the priest could have an alibi for Saul.[vi]

These are but a few examples that we can uncover in Scripture that seem to place us on the horns of a dilemma. Though we cannot here delve into the discussion in great detail, perhaps a few words of insight will help to navigate these murky waters.

For starters, we must be careful not to misunderstand the difference between that which is descriptive in Scripture and that which is prescriptive. Misunderstanding the difference has led many throughout the years to embrace practiced that were merely described in Scripture while at the same time, ignoring those expectations that were prescribed. Secondly, as a general rule of thumb, we should never choose that which is only partially clear in Scripture at the expense of that which is abundantly clear. Interpreting God’s Word is not always a task without challenge. At times, God’s people will be hard-pressed to understand the Scripture. Yet, in such cases, we should cling to those passages that offer the greatest clarity and allow them to inform those that are seemingly lacking.

Lastly, especially as it relates to the above biblical examples, we should recognize the fact that there are viable options that keep us from the conclusion that God’s Word contains irreconcilable differences or contradictions. Perhaps one beneficial way of thinking through this apparent dilemma can be better understood through the words of Sam Storms:

It would appear that there are occasions when deception is ethically permissible. But note well: not all falsehoods are lies. A lie is an intentional falsehood which violates someone’s right to know the truth. But there are cases in which people forfeit their right to know the truth. The question, therefore, is not whether it is ever morally permissible to lie. The question is, “What is a lie?” A lie is the intentional declaration or communication of a falsehood designed to deceive someone who has a moral and legal right to know the truth. A lie is the telling of an untruth to someone to whom you are morally and legally obligated to speak the truth. There are, however, certain occasions on which we are not under obligation to tell a person the truth (in times of war, criminal assault, etc.).[vii]

In short, though much more could be said regarding that which appears to be exceptions to the rule in Scripture, suffice it to say that God has given a clear call to all believers to be truth speakers. Though at times this call will take us down difficult roads, it is nonetheless our call. It can never be denied that ours is a world permeated with half-truths and whole lies. But neither can it be denied that God calls us to radical honesty and unshakable gentleness in such a world. Doing so will not always be easy but it most certainly will be worth it. What could possibly be greater than living a life that is not only pleasing to God but also loving to others? As recorded in that great reservoir of wisdom, our pursuit should be that of buying the truth and refusing to sell it. (Proverbs 23:23) In doing so, we need not expect the purchase price to be without cost and without sacrifice.

Furthermore, we would be foolish to believe that being a truth-teller in the 21st century is an easy life to live. Nevertheless, may we be a people who are ever convinced that the consequences of speaking the truth in love will always be far greater than the consequences that accompany a lying tongue. Rather than seeing how close to the precipice of sin, we can come, perhaps, with hearts of un-budging passion, we should make God our primary pursuit and see how far from sin we can move.

[i] Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 1996).

[ii] D. A. Carson, Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010).

[iii] Walter A. Elwell, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology: Second Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2001), 690.

[iv] Proverbs 30:5 (NIV84) — 5 “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him, Titus 1:2 (NIV84) — 2 a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, Hebrews 6:18 (NIV84) — 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.

[v] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, translated by John W. Doberstein, Life Together (New York: Harper and Row, 1954), 107.

[vi] Matt Erbaugh, “Little White Lies,” in Moment with God: A Devotional on Every Biblical Book (ed. John D. Barry and Rebecca Van Noord; Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

[vii] Sam Storms, Christian Ethics (Oklahoma City, OK: Sam Storms, 2006), 73.