Proverbs 11 -- Hitting Us Where We Work And Spend

"Doing right brings freedom to honest people, but those who are not trustworthy  will be caught by their own desires."

One thing we are taught in banking to keep an eye on is the lifestyle of employees and customers.  Because we are privy to income data, we can compare lifestyle to income and determine whether the two match up.  Why would we do that?  Because spending that exceeds income will lead to ruin and possibly to bank losses if loan defaults occur.  Also, if reported income couldn't possibly maintain the lifestyle we witness, that's either an indication of underreported income or possibly illicit income, both of which point to character problems that might eventually catch up with the person in the form of IRS levies or trouble with the law.  You can imagine what would happen to loan repayments then.

As this verse says, honest people have freedom from worry about these things.  There's never the worry about when the other shoe will drop.  But note what the second half of that verse says - they'll be caught by their own DESIRES.  Desires most often express themselves in our purchases and lifestyles, and with so much of today's spending occurring electronically, the paper trail will be there to catch them.

The sidebar in my Bible this morning, from Enjoying The Closeness Of God, talks of two men working for a nonprofit charity helping people in need.  Both started out on mission and with high goals.  But one soon bowed to the pressure of others working there to use his expense accounts to his advantage while on business trips, such as ordering steaks for most meals rather than less costly items.  His fellow workers had complained to him that his expense reports were making theirs look bad, so he caved.  The other man "just goes on, one day at a time, trying to do what is expected of him by God," keeping costs down so the money could be used as the donors expected.  Once someone said to him, "You work hard; you've earned it."  He answered, "I'm paid to work hard.  I am not paid to exploit." 

We live in a world where we all too often hear the whispers of Satan in areas like this.  How very important it is for us to know that God is listening too, and He's very interested in just how we will answer.  For we are to be light to the world.

Father, continue to help me remain keenly aware that any dishonesty on my part robs me first - of my character and of my closeness to You.  Help me to always so no to Satan's whispers.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford