Deuteronomy 25:13-16
“In all your transactions you
must use accurate scales and honest measurements, so that you will have a
long, good life in the land the Lord your God is giving you. All who
cheat with unjust weights and measurements are detestable to the Lord
your God.”
The Living
Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission
of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All
rights reserved.
I’ve been watching a scrapbooking
tool for sale on eBay for the last few days. The opening bid price was
really reasonable…but the shipping cost seemed excessive. So I
contacted the seller and asked if it would be possible to use a flat
rate Priority Mail shipment and save at least $2 on the shipping costs.
The seller replied that this would save me $2…but it would cost
him/her that much in gas to take the package to the Post Office. My
response was polite…but I pointed out that the US Postal Service will
not only deliver Priority Mail shipping boxes directly to your doorstep,
the mail carrier will pick up packages when they are ready for
delivery. So the “gas money” excuse made no sense… and I decided to
seek this product elsewhere.
Bidding on this item will end soon,
but I have noticed that the seller has reduced the shipping cost – by
almost $2! So I am watching and thinking that I might jump back in at
the last minute to purchase. Now, I know you probably find this whole
exchange completely uninteresting…but here’s my point. One of the things
that Greg and I learned early in our business experience was that nothing
is better than good customer service and building a strong reputation
for its practice. And making excuses is never a good idea. We "do
business" much more often with companies who offer fair transactions and
liberal service policies with regard to returns and an eagerness to
make things right.
When you understand that accuracy, honesty
and fair treatment in business - and in life, generally - are
scriptural…you are on your way to understanding what it means to walk in
God’s ways and to serve others in a manner that pleases Him. I get
it…there are times when you are strapped to the max, and you really
would rather pocket that extra few dollars than pass the savings along
to someone else. There are days when you want to take the bigger piece
of pie and give the smaller portions to your family…hoping that they
will never know the difference.
There are times when we think
that nobody will notice if we “fudge” just a little. I am reminded of a
funny story about a woman who hurriedly made a cake for the church bake
sale, and it “fell” in the middle. In an effort to “safe face,” she
inserted a roll of toilet paper, iced the cake, and sent it to church.
The lady called her daughter and asked her to be the first on the scene
to purchase back the cake. When the daughter arrived, the cake had
sold! The cake baker was invited to dinner at the home of a very
“snooty” church member, and when dessert was served, the hostess came to
the table – with the “toilet paper” cake. The woman who baked it was
prepared to be humiliated, but another guest asked the hostess if the
cake was homemade, and she replied, “Why yes! I baked it myself!” The
punch line was…”God is good.”
While this is a humorous
illustration, the truth remains that our deceptions have a way of
backfiring – although I seriously doubt that God would be pleased with
EITHER church lady in this story! If nobody ever finds out what we
did…God will know. And really, this is all that you need to think
about. It should be all that matters.
What sort of “customer
service” or treatment do you offer to others…in business AND your daily
living? As if pleasing God were not enough, when our words and actions
glorify Him, He blesses us in ways we never expected. This should be
more than ample motivation to always “take the high road.” So how are
you doing these days?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label dishonesty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dishonesty. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for July 17, 2013
James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Last night at our Vacation Bible School, my character had to “come clean” to the children and tell them that I had been lying for two nights. I really do know Jesus, but I told them I’d only heard of him…because I was afraid if they knew the truth, they would not visit our marketplace and spend their dollars – much less like me and be my friend. I had really talked poorly about the Apostle Paul, a visitor to Athens where “my” marketplace was located. Now I confessed that everything I had said was a ruse… a selfish, insincere ploy on my part to “save my own hide” and keep my business afloat. I asked the children to forgive me… and told them that I had already asked for – and received – forgiveness from Jesus. So many people were being persecuted, I explained, because of their faith… and I was just unwilling to risk being one of them. Thankfully, the children were sweet and forgiving. Many said, “I KNEW IT! I knew all along you believed!” Others acted disappointed, but were gracious and showed me mercy nonetheless.
I am reading a book titled 1861, by Adam Goodheart, which details the events leading up to the beginning of the Civil War. I find it pretty sad to read the quotes of men in power who reference God and cite scripture, while voicing an unwillingness to yield to others or show mercy… men who “played favorites” all day long and considered only the opinions and feelings that were theirs. A lot of that still goes on today… and it is every bit as unsettling. There really is very little new "under the sun”!
This is not to say that we are on the verge of a civil war. In fact, I pray that we are not! But a lot of us have less than pure motives. We say that we hear from God and walk in His wisdom… then we operate on the “What’s in it for me?” theory in our daily living. We would rather deny our faith in God than have someone judge us. We go along with unkind talk, cruel and off-putting jokes and more... because we don’t want to be singled out. We play favorites when it suits our desires… and it’s our way or the highway. And if we are honest, we have to admit that there are at least moments when this creates a less than peaceful existence.
I have to tell you… even though I was role-playing last night at VBS, it felt good to tell the truth. It even felt good to ask for mercy and forgiveness. The make-believe “secret” between us created a divide…and left me feeling unsettled. If you are a true child of God… or as I told the children last night – if Jesus truly lives in your heart and is your “Forever Friend”… you have to feel at least tinges of guilt and uneasiness when you operate in selfishness and insincerity. It has to make you at least a little anxious to “play favorites” or go along with others when you know they are being unkind or dishonest.
Isn’t it time to “come clean” with Jesus? Isn’t it time to operate in the purity of His wisdom and trust Him to see you through any and all reactions and repercussions? Don’t you want the peace of knowing that you are pleasing God at every turn… and that He has your back? What “secrets” do you need to divulge? Are you ready for the gentle life of Christ’s love and peace? Is this the day you begin to change?
©2013 Debbie Robus
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Last night at our Vacation Bible School, my character had to “come clean” to the children and tell them that I had been lying for two nights. I really do know Jesus, but I told them I’d only heard of him…because I was afraid if they knew the truth, they would not visit our marketplace and spend their dollars – much less like me and be my friend. I had really talked poorly about the Apostle Paul, a visitor to Athens where “my” marketplace was located. Now I confessed that everything I had said was a ruse… a selfish, insincere ploy on my part to “save my own hide” and keep my business afloat. I asked the children to forgive me… and told them that I had already asked for – and received – forgiveness from Jesus. So many people were being persecuted, I explained, because of their faith… and I was just unwilling to risk being one of them. Thankfully, the children were sweet and forgiving. Many said, “I KNEW IT! I knew all along you believed!” Others acted disappointed, but were gracious and showed me mercy nonetheless.
I am reading a book titled 1861, by Adam Goodheart, which details the events leading up to the beginning of the Civil War. I find it pretty sad to read the quotes of men in power who reference God and cite scripture, while voicing an unwillingness to yield to others or show mercy… men who “played favorites” all day long and considered only the opinions and feelings that were theirs. A lot of that still goes on today… and it is every bit as unsettling. There really is very little new "under the sun”!
This is not to say that we are on the verge of a civil war. In fact, I pray that we are not! But a lot of us have less than pure motives. We say that we hear from God and walk in His wisdom… then we operate on the “What’s in it for me?” theory in our daily living. We would rather deny our faith in God than have someone judge us. We go along with unkind talk, cruel and off-putting jokes and more... because we don’t want to be singled out. We play favorites when it suits our desires… and it’s our way or the highway. And if we are honest, we have to admit that there are at least moments when this creates a less than peaceful existence.
I have to tell you… even though I was role-playing last night at VBS, it felt good to tell the truth. It even felt good to ask for mercy and forgiveness. The make-believe “secret” between us created a divide…and left me feeling unsettled. If you are a true child of God… or as I told the children last night – if Jesus truly lives in your heart and is your “Forever Friend”… you have to feel at least tinges of guilt and uneasiness when you operate in selfishness and insincerity. It has to make you at least a little anxious to “play favorites” or go along with others when you know they are being unkind or dishonest.
Isn’t it time to “come clean” with Jesus? Isn’t it time to operate in the purity of His wisdom and trust Him to see you through any and all reactions and repercussions? Don’t you want the peace of knowing that you are pleasing God at every turn… and that He has your back? What “secrets” do you need to divulge? Are you ready for the gentle life of Christ’s love and peace? Is this the day you begin to change?
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 22, 2013
March 22 ~ Proverbs 19:1
Better to be poor and honest than a rich person no one can trust.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Suppose someone offered you a million dollars, and all you had to do in return was deliver a package for them. You didn’t know what was in the package, and you didn’t ask. But you were pretty sure that what was happening was illegal… or at best, shady in some way. Would you do it? Now suppose your boss told you, “If you don’t lie for me about XYZ, you’re fired.” What would you do? After all, you have a family counting on your income… you have bills to pay…and all that you’re being asked to do is issue one simple, false statement or perform a single dishonest act. Maybe you’re being asked to say you saw a vehicular accident happen in a certain way – to place the blame on another driver. Or perhaps you are being asked to provide an alibi… “He was with me the whole time.” What could it hurt?
What if you could cheat on a test and score high enough for a scholarship… or you could shift one number and pocket some extra dollars that no one else would ever miss? If being honest about something meant you might actually suffer some sort of material loss… would you tell the truth? Let’s say you know there is something shifty going on with your friends or family members… or in the business in which you work… and reporting this could get a lot of people in trouble and/or cost you friendships and your job. How would you react? Suppose you were encouraged to pass off shoddy work… to cut corners in order to increase profits or speed up production. Could you keep quiet?
Let’s face it… life is not totally “black and white.” But too many of us are more concerned with “What’s in it for me?” than doing the right thing. Do you really want to work for a dishonest boss? Do you truly value friends who lie, cheat and steal? Are you doing family members a favor by keeping their secrets and allowing harm to come to them – and others? How would you feel if you were treated this way? Are you totally honest in all things? Are you willing to compromise your principles for personal gain? Are you more worried about how these things will affect you than in operating with integrity?
Being completely honest often requires a leap of faith and a heavy dose of courage. God will supply you with both. You may not always be the most popular person in some circles… or the wealthiest in terms of money and “stuff.” But you will be rich beyond measure in the things that truly matter… the blessings of God and His favor. Does this mean that all “rich” people are dishonest? Absolutely not! But in our culture, we have become so jaded by material wealth and “things,” that many of us often gauge our credibility and success in terms money and possessions instead of how well we love and serve others… and God.
Take a good hard look at your life and see where you have lost focus. Figure out what really matters to you and see where you have been willing to compromise your values in favor of a quick fix or something that seems to have value…but might actually be rather hollow. Fix your attention on God and the things that matter to Him. Make these the center of your life, and allow Him to determine your course. Let God show you how to do great things with less “stuff” and more integrity. Learn to value the things that He prizes. You may find that you are richer than you ever dreamed possible… in ways that truly matter.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Better to be poor and honest than a rich person no one can trust.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Suppose someone offered you a million dollars, and all you had to do in return was deliver a package for them. You didn’t know what was in the package, and you didn’t ask. But you were pretty sure that what was happening was illegal… or at best, shady in some way. Would you do it? Now suppose your boss told you, “If you don’t lie for me about XYZ, you’re fired.” What would you do? After all, you have a family counting on your income… you have bills to pay…and all that you’re being asked to do is issue one simple, false statement or perform a single dishonest act. Maybe you’re being asked to say you saw a vehicular accident happen in a certain way – to place the blame on another driver. Or perhaps you are being asked to provide an alibi… “He was with me the whole time.” What could it hurt?
What if you could cheat on a test and score high enough for a scholarship… or you could shift one number and pocket some extra dollars that no one else would ever miss? If being honest about something meant you might actually suffer some sort of material loss… would you tell the truth? Let’s say you know there is something shifty going on with your friends or family members… or in the business in which you work… and reporting this could get a lot of people in trouble and/or cost you friendships and your job. How would you react? Suppose you were encouraged to pass off shoddy work… to cut corners in order to increase profits or speed up production. Could you keep quiet?
Let’s face it… life is not totally “black and white.” But too many of us are more concerned with “What’s in it for me?” than doing the right thing. Do you really want to work for a dishonest boss? Do you truly value friends who lie, cheat and steal? Are you doing family members a favor by keeping their secrets and allowing harm to come to them – and others? How would you feel if you were treated this way? Are you totally honest in all things? Are you willing to compromise your principles for personal gain? Are you more worried about how these things will affect you than in operating with integrity?
Being completely honest often requires a leap of faith and a heavy dose of courage. God will supply you with both. You may not always be the most popular person in some circles… or the wealthiest in terms of money and “stuff.” But you will be rich beyond measure in the things that truly matter… the blessings of God and His favor. Does this mean that all “rich” people are dishonest? Absolutely not! But in our culture, we have become so jaded by material wealth and “things,” that many of us often gauge our credibility and success in terms money and possessions instead of how well we love and serve others… and God.
Take a good hard look at your life and see where you have lost focus. Figure out what really matters to you and see where you have been willing to compromise your values in favor of a quick fix or something that seems to have value…but might actually be rather hollow. Fix your attention on God and the things that matter to Him. Make these the center of your life, and allow Him to determine your course. Let God show you how to do great things with less “stuff” and more integrity. Learn to value the things that He prizes. You may find that you are richer than you ever dreamed possible… in ways that truly matter.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for March 21, 2013
Proverbs 11:3
The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Believe it or not, there is an organization called the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention. According to information found at www.shoplifters.org, approximately 1 in 11 persons in our country today is a shoplifter. The reasons for shoplifting are varied, but many do not need the items and/or can afford to purchase them outright. These people get a “lift” from getting “something for nothing.” This “high” is more important to the shoplifter than the merchandise being stolen. Others steal to make up for a “loss” in their life…illness, job loss, the death of someone significant in their lives, a relationship breakup or dissolution, and more. Shoplifting may often make the person feel temporarily more in control.
Still others shoplift to relieve tension, anxiety, sadness or boredom, while others consider shoplifting a justifiable compensation for something lacking in their lives… payback for all they have given to others, how they feel they have been mistreated, or a specific experience. While many shoplifters fully expect to get caught at some point, they are often appalled to be placed in jail with “hardened criminals” for such a “petty crime.”
I used shoplifting as an example of dishonesty, but there are parallels for many areas of our life. You may be patting yourself on the back and saying, “Thank goodness this isn’t me!” But I ask you to take a good hard look at yourself. Are there other areas where you “shoplift?” Do you engage in other dishonest or deceptive behaviors in order to temporarily give yourself a “lift” or to compensate for some wrong you feel has been done against you? Do you embellish the truth to make yourself look better to others? Do you brag about how fast you drove to XYZ and didn’t get caught? Do you participate in illegal activities like underage drinking… or drug abuse? Do you cheat on your taxes… or even take extra condiments from the fast-food place “because they are ‘free’?”
Do you put on a good front in public to make everyone think that your life is hunky-dory, then conduct yourself in a totally different manner at home in front of your family and close friends? Do you pretty well thumb your nose at the world because some things have happened in your life and you feel entitled to do so? Are you one of those people who fumbles in his/her pocket for money when it comes time to pay the bill - then lets someone else pay… or “borrows” from others and never gives the items back…or pretends to be busy and lets someone else do all the work – then shares in the credit? Have you become comfortable with gossip, “white lies” and other “harmless petty crimes?"
There are countless ways in which we are all capable of dishonesty, if we are not careful and on constant guard. The adage that you can “give him enough rope and he’ll hang himself” often applies and our sins are discovered… and we have to “come clean” – at least temporarily. But it really shouldn’t matter whether we are ever caught in a lie or not. GOD knows! He sees how incorrigible we often are, and this breaks His heart. There really is no excuse… not the circumstances of our life, our childhood or upbringing, or our “innocence.” We all must strive to operate with more integrity if we want to be like Jesus.
Stop what you are doing today and talk to God. Tell Him that you know there may be areas of your life where even YOU are not aware that you are dishonest or lack integrity. Ask God to shine a bright light on your heart and reveal the places where you need to improve. Don’t risk even the slightest opportunity for ruin. Humbly call upon God to help you with this… and make every effort to stay on track and operate with honesty and integrity - in all things… and at all times.
©2013 Debbie Robus
The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Believe it or not, there is an organization called the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention. According to information found at www.shoplifters.org, approximately 1 in 11 persons in our country today is a shoplifter. The reasons for shoplifting are varied, but many do not need the items and/or can afford to purchase them outright. These people get a “lift” from getting “something for nothing.” This “high” is more important to the shoplifter than the merchandise being stolen. Others steal to make up for a “loss” in their life…illness, job loss, the death of someone significant in their lives, a relationship breakup or dissolution, and more. Shoplifting may often make the person feel temporarily more in control.
Still others shoplift to relieve tension, anxiety, sadness or boredom, while others consider shoplifting a justifiable compensation for something lacking in their lives… payback for all they have given to others, how they feel they have been mistreated, or a specific experience. While many shoplifters fully expect to get caught at some point, they are often appalled to be placed in jail with “hardened criminals” for such a “petty crime.”
I used shoplifting as an example of dishonesty, but there are parallels for many areas of our life. You may be patting yourself on the back and saying, “Thank goodness this isn’t me!” But I ask you to take a good hard look at yourself. Are there other areas where you “shoplift?” Do you engage in other dishonest or deceptive behaviors in order to temporarily give yourself a “lift” or to compensate for some wrong you feel has been done against you? Do you embellish the truth to make yourself look better to others? Do you brag about how fast you drove to XYZ and didn’t get caught? Do you participate in illegal activities like underage drinking… or drug abuse? Do you cheat on your taxes… or even take extra condiments from the fast-food place “because they are ‘free’?”
Do you put on a good front in public to make everyone think that your life is hunky-dory, then conduct yourself in a totally different manner at home in front of your family and close friends? Do you pretty well thumb your nose at the world because some things have happened in your life and you feel entitled to do so? Are you one of those people who fumbles in his/her pocket for money when it comes time to pay the bill - then lets someone else pay… or “borrows” from others and never gives the items back…or pretends to be busy and lets someone else do all the work – then shares in the credit? Have you become comfortable with gossip, “white lies” and other “harmless petty crimes?"
There are countless ways in which we are all capable of dishonesty, if we are not careful and on constant guard. The adage that you can “give him enough rope and he’ll hang himself” often applies and our sins are discovered… and we have to “come clean” – at least temporarily. But it really shouldn’t matter whether we are ever caught in a lie or not. GOD knows! He sees how incorrigible we often are, and this breaks His heart. There really is no excuse… not the circumstances of our life, our childhood or upbringing, or our “innocence.” We all must strive to operate with more integrity if we want to be like Jesus.
Stop what you are doing today and talk to God. Tell Him that you know there may be areas of your life where even YOU are not aware that you are dishonest or lack integrity. Ask God to shine a bright light on your heart and reveal the places where you need to improve. Don’t risk even the slightest opportunity for ruin. Humbly call upon God to help you with this… and make every effort to stay on track and operate with honesty and integrity - in all things… and at all times.
©2013 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for December 12, 2010
Jeremiah 9:5
They wear themselves out, always looking for a new way to cheat their friends.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We need look no further than late-night infomercials on television to see the power of the line, “Have I got a deal for YOU!” Dozens, if not hundreds, of entrepreneurs stand ready to sell you their latest invention, sure to make your life better in every way imaginable. And maybe a few of these products work. I’ve been tempted to order a few… the incredible clothes hangers, the orange cleaner for your floors and other surfaces, and even the slap-chopper thingy that is supposed to make dicing onions and other veggies a breeze.
I have also seen a segment on a local news station broadcast called, “We Try It Before You Buy It.” And I’ve seen some of the niftiest looking gadgets go down in flames when the show hosts cannot make them work… or they fail to come through as promised by the merchant on TV. These “inventors” are wearing themselves out looking for a new way to make a buck. Maybe they don’t set out to intentionally cheat the public with a product that doesn’t deliver. But I have to believe that quite a few of them know their product is worthless and won’t work for the consumers who purchase it.
What are we “selling” that can’t deliver? How are we wearing ourselves out chasing our tail, so to speak… spending time and energy on things that are less than honest or fair, rather than be the real deal for Jesus? How often do we ask ourselves, “What’s in this for me?” rather than “What would Jesus do?”
I would like to think that none of us deliberately sets out to cheat our friends – or even those we don’t know! But that’s exactly what happens sometimes when we put ourselves first. Maybe you just wanted a day to yourself, but by not offering your friend a ride, he/she didn’t get to attend something important to them. Maybe you bought yourself a cup of hot coffee instead of putting your change in the Salvation Army bucket outside the store… and now someone who really needed a hot cup of coffee won’t get it. Maybe you decided you would rather be lazy and stay home than attend the funeral of a close friend’s relative… and a whole lot of other people did the same things, so the crowd of supporters was noticeably small. Each time, your excuse was good, but it was just that - an excuse (and maybe even a dishonest one!).
While these things may not quite literally be considered cheating or lying, we tend to narrow our definition of these actions to fit our own desires… when in God’s eyes, a whole lot of things we would discount are truly dishonest and wrong behaviors. When we start to truly walk in the ways of God… to let Him live in and through us, our selfish desires become secondary to non-existent. Lying and cheating are not even on our radar screen… in ways great and small. Are you there yet? Have you made this commitment… and can others see it in your daily living? Isn’t it time we began to turn the corner?
©2010 Debbie Robus
They wear themselves out, always looking for a new way to cheat their friends.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We need look no further than late-night infomercials on television to see the power of the line, “Have I got a deal for YOU!” Dozens, if not hundreds, of entrepreneurs stand ready to sell you their latest invention, sure to make your life better in every way imaginable. And maybe a few of these products work. I’ve been tempted to order a few… the incredible clothes hangers, the orange cleaner for your floors and other surfaces, and even the slap-chopper thingy that is supposed to make dicing onions and other veggies a breeze.
I have also seen a segment on a local news station broadcast called, “We Try It Before You Buy It.” And I’ve seen some of the niftiest looking gadgets go down in flames when the show hosts cannot make them work… or they fail to come through as promised by the merchant on TV. These “inventors” are wearing themselves out looking for a new way to make a buck. Maybe they don’t set out to intentionally cheat the public with a product that doesn’t deliver. But I have to believe that quite a few of them know their product is worthless and won’t work for the consumers who purchase it.
What are we “selling” that can’t deliver? How are we wearing ourselves out chasing our tail, so to speak… spending time and energy on things that are less than honest or fair, rather than be the real deal for Jesus? How often do we ask ourselves, “What’s in this for me?” rather than “What would Jesus do?”
I would like to think that none of us deliberately sets out to cheat our friends – or even those we don’t know! But that’s exactly what happens sometimes when we put ourselves first. Maybe you just wanted a day to yourself, but by not offering your friend a ride, he/she didn’t get to attend something important to them. Maybe you bought yourself a cup of hot coffee instead of putting your change in the Salvation Army bucket outside the store… and now someone who really needed a hot cup of coffee won’t get it. Maybe you decided you would rather be lazy and stay home than attend the funeral of a close friend’s relative… and a whole lot of other people did the same things, so the crowd of supporters was noticeably small. Each time, your excuse was good, but it was just that - an excuse (and maybe even a dishonest one!).
While these things may not quite literally be considered cheating or lying, we tend to narrow our definition of these actions to fit our own desires… when in God’s eyes, a whole lot of things we would discount are truly dishonest and wrong behaviors. When we start to truly walk in the ways of God… to let Him live in and through us, our selfish desires become secondary to non-existent. Lying and cheating are not even on our radar screen… in ways great and small. Are you there yet? Have you made this commitment… and can others see it in your daily living? Isn’t it time we began to turn the corner?
©2010 Debbie Robus
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