Honesty

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

  "Providing for things honest, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men."  2 Corinthians  8:21

     Many years ago, when my father was still living, it was my privilege to work with him during the summer months.  Each morning we stopped to pick up the early edition of a local  newspaper which we would read at "coffee break."  One morning when we got to work my father found that by mistake he had taken two newspapers instead of one, as the edition was extremely thin that day.  He thought first of paying the man the extra price for the paper the following morning, but then, after a moment's consideration, he said,  'No, I had better go back with this paper, for someone will no doubt lose out on their morning news, and also I do not want Mr. K ---, who is not a Christian, to think that I am dishonest."  He got into his car, rode back to the store, and returned the additional newspaper.  About a week later a robbery occurred in this same grocery. When they figured back the time when it could have happened, only two people had been in the store during that period:  my dad,and another man!  The grocer immediately eliminated my father from consideration.  He said,  "That man is really honest.  He came all the way back here just to return a newspaper he got by mistake.  It must be the other customer who is the thief."  The police apprehended the culprit, who soon made a full confession.  Father's honesty and Christian character had borne fruit.  He had made an impression upon the worldly storekeeper.  His actions had also left an indelible mark upon my young and pliable mind.

     The late Dr. Will Houghton used to tell of a soldier who became a Christian through watching a believer who was also a serviceman.  The thing that impressed him was the fact that although the other men of the regiment made fun of this Christian, they always left their money in his possession for safe keeping!  How important to provide things honest in the sight of all men!  Say, does your Christian walk square with your Christian talk?

"Bread For Each Day"