Crazy Money! Operation Bear Claw

It’s Crazy Money Day! 

There comes a point in life when you think you’ve heard it all, but I never cease to be surprised at the lies people concoct for financial gain, and this one’s crazy! Some people in California declared that a bear wreaked havoc on their luxury cars. They filmed the damage and filed claims totaling more than $140,000. The scheme worked until details were questioned. It was flagged ‘suspicious’. A biologist reviewing the footage said the bear was clearly a dressed-up human being. Investigators discovered the truth upon finding a bear costume at the home of one of the suspects. Operation Bear Claw sentenced two men and a woman to a weekend in jail. Two were ordered to pay more than $50,000 in restitution. Like I said…that’s crazy!

Proverbs 13:11 says, “Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.” Financial integrity matters, especially when no one’s watching. God calls us to a life marked by honesty, patience, and trust. That means choosing the long road over the shortcut: the right way over the easy way. These criminals attempted to profit through deception. Schemes may promise fast results, but they never deliver lasting peace, and in the end, the cost of dishonesty is always greater than the reward. Are you building your finances on truth or on shortcuts? One leads to freedom, while the other eventually gets exposed.

Now, I’m excited to ask you to join us in Knoxville, Tennessee, this September the 10th through the 12th. We want to celebrate all that God has done through Crown over the last 50 years. Learn more at crown.org/50years.