A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. – Proverbs 11:18.

I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. – Romans 1:14.

A 1991 survey of American retailers revealed a dishonest streak as broad as Kansas. Twenty percent of job applicants admitted they would steal from their employers; 21 percent of all applicants flunked preemployment honesty tests and were rated as high risk. “Employee dishonesty is one of the major problems retailers face,” an industry specialist said. Retailers who participated in the annual Survey of Retail Loss Prevention Trends reported losses of $1.4 billion to employee theft in 1990—about two cents to every dollar of sales.

A Christian employee, obeying Paul’s instructions in Ephesians 6:5–8, would be revolted by the very idea of theft, let alone the practice. The gospel engenders integrity in our personal relationships, honesty in all transactions, and responsible effort in any task. We obey human authority as an example of our obedience to Christ. We serve wholeheartedly in any endeavor as an extension of our spiritual commitment. We live without pretense, we behave with propriety, and we act responsibly. We want to please God in the highest cause, so we work hard and honestly in any lesser cause.

Courtesy of Speaker’s Sourcebook of New Illustrations by Virgil Hurley © 1995 by Word, Incorporated.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV © 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved.