APRIL 23

James 5:4

CHEATING

In Bible times, rich farm owners hired workers to work on the farms. Some were evil and used to cheat their labourers. The owners refused to pay the workers the agreed wages and ordered them to leave the farms. The farm owners had taken advantage of the poor.

The farm owners refused to pay the workers the wages because they loved money more than anything else. ey would do almost anything to get more money. As a result, cheating their laborers was the way to get more wealth.

The apostle Timothy has a warning for those people who desire to be rich the wrong way. Fill in the blanks:

But they that __________ be rich (have the desire) fall into __________ and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the __________ of money is the root of all __________: which while some __________ after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:9-10).

Let’s look at some day-to-day incidents. Are these examples of cheating?
• Take a friend’s things without permission.                      YES/NO
• Peer at classmate’s examination answer.                        YES/NO
• Don’t return the extra change given by seller.                  YES/NO
• Bargain for a lower price when buying something.           YES/NO
• Use the calculator in a test when told not to.                    YES/NO
• Look at the UNO cards of the person next to you.            YES/NO

God is displeased when we cheat. Whether in a game, competition or examination, play fairly and behave in an honest manner.

Thought: Have you cheated before?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I know cheating is wrong. (Pray for forgiveness if you have cheated.) Help me not to cheat anymore, and help me be a good Christian witness. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.