Deceitfulness of Riches

Deceitfulness with money can destroy our testimony. 

There once was a pastor who had been leading a large church for only three months. His messages were an encouragement to many church members. One afternoon, he went through a checkout line at a local grocery store. He didn’t recognize the cashier as a member of his church, and the cashier didn’t identify himself. After leaving the store, the pastor realized he’d received $20 more in change than he should have. Being in a hurry, he got in his car and went on his way, but the $20 haunted him. So, the next day he returned the money to the cashier and explained what had happened. The cashier simply took the money, saying, “Yes, I know. Thank you.”

But after the service the following Sunday, the pastor greeted parishioners as they left the church, and one of the hands he shook was that of the grocery cashier, who simply said, “Pastor, I now know that you believe what you preach.” The deceitfulness of riches did not destroy the fruitfulness of the pastor’s testimony. How sad it is when anyone falls for Satan’s snares, even small ones. Just a little extra that we don’t return can harm our reputation.

Have you ever taken something that didn’t belong to you? Have you ever kept extra change or items you weren’t charged for? Ignoring it or thinking you were justified can choke the impact of God’s Word, making it unfruitful in your life. If we want to produce a good harvest, guard your heart against the deceitfulness of money.

And if you’re struggling with credit card debt, Christian Credit Counselors are the best. They can create a debt management plan that will really work. For more information, visit online at crown.org/ccc.