QUESTION #7
Have we been dishonest? Is our business open and above reproach? Do we give a yard for a yard and a pound for a pound?
-Questions are excerpts from the book, “The Revival We Need” by Oswald J. Smith
As Stephen and I discussed this question today, he shared a story with me about grocery shopping in Kenya. A lot time ago when his parents used to buy food in Kenya, they’d place the produce on scales where the cashier would add weights to the other side. Often, they had drilled holes in the bottoms of the weights, making the customer pay 2-3 times more for their broccoli!
This question here is dealing with our dishonesty in our daily behavior. We all have different jobs that we do, but all of us are faced with decisions where we will either be honest or dishonest. For some, punching in on a time clock seems like a trivial thing. I’ve worked for companies like Starbucks where you weren’t allowed to punch in early or late without a manager’s override code. This prevented anyone from attempting to get more money than what they truly worked. I worked at another job where I almost felt like I had to babysit everyone because I wrote down their times in and out of the office. This was per request of my supervisors because some employees were notoriously late 5-15 minutes everyday. This amount of time multiplied over several weeks costs companies money that they aren’t getting work out of their employees for.
This is just one way that our actions can be carried out without integrity. What are some other ways dishonesty happens? Are we leaving a good example of fairness and integrity when we dine out at restaurants? Have we cheated on school papers or exams? Do we find delight in “cheating the system”? These are no small issues to God. While others may not catch us in our dishonesty, we can be assured that He is weighing our hearts. If we are aiming to walk with the kingdom of Heaven manifesting through us, we wont’ be so easily tempted to make shortcuts in our daily lives.
APPLICATION:
1. What is one specific area you can become more honest in? Write this down and share with a spouse, a close friend or spiritual mentor who can keep you accountable.
2.If there is something that you’ve cheated in, how can you make this situation right? This may require being truthful with an employer or close loved one. Like we discussed yesterday, the way of humility far outweighs the traps of pride.
SCRIPTURES:
Proverbs 20:17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.
Luke 16:10-12 One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?
Romans 13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.