BBD 03.14.03 Clear Consciences
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The Burning Bush Devotional
(Over 8,000 subscribers in 75 countries)
03.14.03
Clear Consciences
"Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor
will increase." - Proverbs 1311.
When I was about five or six years old I was on a rare shopping trip with my
mother. We were in a clothing store (Anthony's) when I saw a $20.00 bill on
the floor. I bent down to pick it up and just as my fingers touched the bill
a woman stomped on it with her shoe. She jerked it out of my hand waved it
briefly in the air saying, "did anyone lose this," and then she hurriedly
left the store before anyone could respond.
Unlike the woman I remember from my childhood there are some really honest
people in North Dakota. In Fargo, North Dakota an ATM machine delivered some
extra cash to the ATM customers. The cold weather caused the machine's door
to open for some customers and not to open for others. Some customers
received no money but those following them received the money they wanted
plus the money intended for the previous customer. Marietta Rasmussen a bank
supervisor said, "It was like being in Las Vegas without all the lights and
whistles." All three customers who received extra money reported the error
and returned the money.
Many of us operate not according to honesty but according to the principle
of "what we can get away with." Even if those good-hearted people in North
Dakota had decided to keep the extra money it is unlikely that they would
have been able to keep it. Why? Because nearly every ATM has a security
camera and those films would have been reviewed until the source of the loss
of funds was found.
But there is another group of people who go by the principle of "I'm
stronger than you." If they are stronger and more forceful than you they
will take whatever they can get. My son was the victim of this on the night
before his wedding when he was robbed at gunpoint at an ATM in Dallas (many
years ago now). The fact is that there are many, many more people willing to
steal, deceive, cheat, lie, and rob than there are who as the apostle Paul,
".always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men
(Acts 2416)."
As I was preparing this devotional I discovered that I belong to the
"neglected or forgotten to take care of something" group. Since I have been
reminded of this responsibility I must either take care of it or I will
quickly slide into the "what I can get away with group." I don't know which
group you fall into but God does and it may be that He has reminded you, as
He did me, through this devotional.
Let us strive to be obedient to our Lord in all things and keep our
consciences clear before God and men.
Copyright © 2003. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
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