HOW HONEST ARE YOU?

Honesty of heart implies refusal to lie, steal, cheat, or deceive

in any other way. A true Christian is such a person. In Acts, chapter

five, we read of the dishonesty of Ananias and Sapphira and how the

Lord punished them. Genesis, chapter 41, records Joseph's rewards for

his faithfulness. Daniel, chapter one and two, records that Daniel

purposed in his heart not to defile himself and how he was, therefore,

greatly rewarded.

A druggist, while filing out a prescription, watched his customer

put an article that had hung on a display rack into his pocket.

Instead of charging him a dollar and a half, as he had originally

planned, he asked for four dollars. Without a complaint the man paid

the money and walked out. A year or so later he returned to the same

store and began, "I came in here a year ago to have a prescription

filled. When I got home I found this article in my pocket. This was

the only place I could have picked it up by mistake. I live in the

other end of the city and this is the first time I have been able to

be back." With that the man dug into his pocket to pay for what he had

taken. The question is: Did he really intend to steal and when he got

home suffered a twinge of conscience that after a year's time got the

best of him? What about the druggist? He did not hand back the two and

one-half dollars overcharge. How honest was he? What appears more to

the point is this - how honest are you?

Representatives of bonding companies say that more than half the

people are dishonest and would steal if they thought they would not

get caught. True honesty is a disposition of soul to deal justly under

all circumstances because this is right. There's a lesson in a

certain young fellow's answer when the teacher asked another boy;

"Would you tell a lie for three cents?"

"No ma'am," replied the youngster.

"Would you tell a lie for ten cents?"

"No ma'am," said the boy.

"Would you tell a lie for a dollar?"

"No ma'am," was the reply.

"Would you tell a lie for a thousand dollars?"

"My," he said to himself, "what couldn't I do with a thousand

dollars?" While he hesitated this certain young fellow behind him

said, "No ma'am." "Why not?" the teacher asked.

"Because a lie sticks. When the one thousand dollars is all gone,

and the good things it bought are, the LIE is still there just the

same."

The inconsistency of man has always wearied God. Jesus said of some

in His day. "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and

honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me" (Matt.

15:8). To bring lips and heart together is a constant battle for the

Christian. A schoolteacher was a crusader for punctuality in her

secular work, but thought nothing of being late or missing from Sunday

school where she also was a teacher, until her eyes were opened. We

are stewards of our time, our money, everything we have or do. " . . .

How is it that I hear this of thee? give account of thy

stewardship . . ." Jesus demands. Luke 16:2.

Many a man has attained to a position of trust because he practiced

honesty. When a cowboy that worked for President Roosevelt showed him

some cattle that he had take from another man, Roosevelt roared,

"You're fired! Any man that will steal for me will steal from me." The

Canadian Pacific Railway reports that out of 8,000 inquiries they get

from people who have lost things only half a dozen calls come in from

people who have found something and want to return it. One of the

larger hotels on this continent claims it loses twenty-five thousand

dollars a year by the disappearance of towels, wash cloths, vacuum

bottles, and pictures off the walls.

Businessmen appreciate dealing with people that are honest. Honesty

in all your dealings builds up your credit rating and promotes other

people's confidence in you. Christians need to set an example of

being honest. " . . . Provide things honest in the sight of all men."

Rom. 12:17. "Let us walk honestly, as in the day . . ." Rom. 13:13.

". . . In all things willing to live honestly." Heb. 13:18. You say

you are honest: a professing Christian woman that sold her house was

also so considered. Later she asked the sister of the purchaser,

"Wouldn't you like to become a Christian?" She replied, "You sold a

house with many things wrong with it to my sister. You did not speak

the truth." The woman was deeply convicted and made immediate amends.

But her testimony for Christ wasn't very strong because of her

dishonesty.

Here is the confession of a certain man who felt he had robbed and

cheated the Lord. "There was nothing more distressing to me than to be

in church and realize that I had nothing less than a dollar to give.

Giving the dollar was too painful. As the collection plate came closer

I hastily searched my pockets for a nickel, planning to shield it from

the view of others. Onlookers must have seen what to them seemed my

concern, my devoutness." Like all others that are covetous and

dishonest, this man tried hard to cover up.

However, dishonesty is not confined to money matters. Are you

guilty of any of the following? Chiseling on your income tax? Not

telling the bank when it has overcredited you account? Not paying

promptly when your note becomes due? Not making new arrangements in

time when you cannot pay? Buying too much on the installment plan? Not

telling the storekeeper when he undercharges you for a purchase

(thinking the price too high in the first place)? Not trying to trace

the owner of an article you have found? As a farm owner, charge

exorbitant rent? As an employee, do you steal a minute here, a minute

there, of your employer's time? As an employer do you give a fair wage

and fair working arrangements? Have you made restitution where you've

damaged someone's property? As a businessman do you charge an exorbi-

tant price, and still remain Christian in you practice; do you know

the boundary line between honest earnings and unjust gain?

Do you say you are in the light of God while at the same time doing

works of darkness such as: Hating your brother? Not telling the truth

on every occasion? Not making amends where you have wronged anyone?

Being a talebearer, who is seldom strictly honest, distorting the

truth? Fond of exaggerating the truth, thereby hewing a crooked line?

Saying one thing to one person and another thing to someone else?

Breaking a promise? Having robbed God of tithes and offerings?

Do you pay to the Most High your vows made to Him on bended knees?

Honesty is a test of character. If we fail here our character does not

ring true. Our motives, our attitudes, need to be submitted to the

HONESTY TEST. If we are not strictly "straight" in all our dealings

with God and man we need an inward change, for outward things portray

the inward man. Again, are you an HONEST Christian? God demands it -

the world expects it. ". . . Ye should do that which is honest . . ."

II Cor.13.7.

GOSPEL TRACT AND BIBLE SOCIETY

of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite

Moundridge, Kansas 67107 U.S.A.