Selling a Bicycle - John Custer
Selling a used bike online for $350 seemed so simple. Someone responded right away by promising to send a certified check by USPS and gave me a tracking number. I was waiting at the mailbox when the mailman came with my letter. The enclosed check was for far more than my selling price. I immediately suspected (and later confirmed) it was a scam.
Being a business person, I hadn’t been fooled into sending back the excess, but I feel sorry for people who do fall for these kind of schemes. Zechariah 7:10 (NIV) states “Do not plot evil against each other.”
When we compare Biblical teaching to our culture, we’re confronted with all kinds of scams — from applying for a driver’s license to just about anything we can imagine. It’s so prevalent we need to be constantly on guard in order to avoid being cheated.
Throughout the Bible, God denounces various forms of dishonesty. In the New Testament, Jesus denounced the leaders of His day for hypocritical dishonesty when he said to the Pharisees, “…You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean,” (Matthew 23:25-26 NIV).
Jesus made it clear it is not enough to “look” honest — we need to “be” honest.
God would have us reflect clearly on our own behavior. Do we charge more for an item than it’s worth? Are we completely truthful about the product we are representing? Are we misleading our client in ANY way?
Here’s an example of honesty — a waitress told me recently I could save money by ordering the breakfast special and get what I requested for less. That’s the kind of honesty I’m talking about!
Prayer: Lord, help me to be totally honest in every aspect of my dealings with people throughout my day.
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