Unless you are honest in small matters, you won’t be in large ones. If you cheat even a little, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. Luke 16:10

This verse came off the page at me this morning because it’s the small things that are most likely to trip me up. Not the big ones. I mean, I’ve never cheated on my wife. Never robbed a bank. I don’t cheat my boss. I give him a hundred and ten.

But it’s easy to rationalize the little matters. Cut a corner here or there. Who will ever know? No big deal. No one is hurt. If I take an extra five dollar deduction on my income tax, the government won’t grind to a halt tomorrow (not that I do).

Here is the irony. If I cheat someone, that person is not necessarily the one who is hurt. But I am.

If I steal a little two cent trinket from Bill Gates, trust me, he won’t be hurt. But every time I look at it, I’ll know it was stolen and I am hurt. I’ve undermined my character. Forfeited my integrity. And that makes me less of a person than I should be.

And God passes me by on the promotion.

Throughout the Bible, honesty is a major issue with God, after all, His name is Truth.

It should be an issue with you and me as well.