Hammer on Anvil '

Let’s face it, cheaters DO sometimes prosper. People who lie, cheat, and steal sometimes get away with it, and they benefit from it. Running a stoplight, speeding, cheating on a test. There are lots of ways we can see this in our everyday lives. It can be hard as a Christian to maintain integrity when so many people around us are getting ahead by immoral means.

But let’s stop for a minute and think about exactly what it is that these people are getting as a benefit (and we’ll ignore the obvious drawbacks that would come about if they were to get caught). People who run stoplights and speed arrive at their destinations a little bit faster. Students who cheat on tests receive a higher score than they deserve. And people who lie manage to avoid the consequences of an uncomfortable truth and sometimes reap rewards for something they didn’t actually do.

Let’s see…those benefits were some extra time, higher test scores, and avoiding unpleasant consequences. It can be easy to look at the people enjoying these benefits and become discouraged and possibly even tempted. But as Christians, we always need to look at life in light of eternity.

So what are the benefits of lying, cheating, and stealing in light of eternity? The time gained from running stoplights and speeding is less than irrelevant when time has no end. Test scores don’t matter when knowledge isn’t a requirement for entrance into Heaven. And the reward gained from telling a lie is the disappointment of a creator of the universe who gave his life so that you could live.

Wow. There is NO benefit in that. No benefit that actually matters anyways.

Take heart that you are are putting a smile upon the face of the God who gave you life when you live morally, and always live life in light of eternity.