HONESTY VIRTUE

“It is better to be poor and honest than to be foolish and tell lies” (Proverbs 19:1 NCV).

That verse alone puts a pretty high value on being honest and honesty. When I was a young boy, I believe the story of “the boy who cried wolf” was about me. When I think about all the whoppers I told as a little boy and even older, I realize I saw them as the easy way out or the easier explanation as opposed to the truth. I know it must have driven my parents mad. My mom once told me that she would rather I punch her in the gut than lie to her. I have not forgotten the day she said that to me. They were 2 folks, who had faults of their own, but dishonesty was not one of them.

God does not bless dishonesty. Proverbs 16: 11 says the Lord demands fairness in every business deal. (TLB) This includes wages, salaries, and taxes. We want God to bless our finances but have we been honest about them? The verse today in setting the bar for honesty says it’s better to be poor than to be foolish and lie.

Why honesty is such an important foundational principle? When we are stressed, it is easier to take the shortcuts. Financial stress leads to temptation to push integrity aside and just go ahead and cheat to make ends meet. We rationalize that is so and so we just do it. We experience financial stress and we may be tempted to shade the truth on a sales transaction or deflate the value of something while taking false deductions on our taxes? These choices are short term easy ways out but these choices will always come due at some point. In the long run, these decisions are losers. And not only they are losers, but you have lost your integrity.

You know what is going to heaven? Hopefully you but the only thing you can pack to bring is your integrity. Money will mean nothing in heaven. Profit made dishonestly will bring trouble. Rip off someone….it will come back on you when someone else will rip you off. You cheat, you will be cheated. Where does this come from?

WHAT YOU SOW, YOU REAP!

THE DECISION TO BE HONEST IS A DAILY ONE.

WE WILL BE TEMPTED TO LIE AND BE DISHONEST ON A FAIRLY REGULAR BASIS

AND TO BE “HONEST”…SOMETIMES HONESTY WILL COST YOU.

SOMETIMES IT COSTS TO TELL THE TRUTH

GOD TELLS US IF WE ARE FAITHFUL TO HIM IN THIS…..YOU WILL NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL NEEDS.

“The justice you receive from God will depend on the justice you give to others. As far as God is concerned, you can never go wrong doing right.”