Title Let's live honestly (Psalm 07:10)
Contents A devout Christian took over the Seolleongtang restaurant and started to run it. He prayed as he opened the Seolleongtang House. "God! I will treat the guests visiting this house as if I was treating them like Jesus.” However, as the chef did before, he prepared enough seolleongtang broth to sell throughout the day with the cream he puts in his coffee. The bones have been made to look like a real country for a long time. He closed the restaurant that day and wrote on the door. “I have a rest today” and prayed. "God! We are going to treat our guests like Jesus, but how can we serve Jesus by tricking Jesus with cream soup and seolleongtang broth? I can't do that.” And he poured out all the seolleongtang broth. After that, he ran the restaurant conscientiously and religiously. This rumor spread around. This restaurant is very thriving now. God blesses honest people.
A few years ago, the Columbia University Graduate School of Business conducted a survey of 1,500 top executives around the world on “the most necessary qualities of a 21st century CEO.” The first item that 88% of respondents chose was ‘ethics’. In a survey of regular employees across the United States by another research institute, 85% of respondents said that ‘honesty’ and ‘ethics’ were what they most wanted from their leaders. No matter how much the times change, regardless of East and West, a leader requires a clean personality. These are the words to keep in mind these days when people's trust in their leaders is declining.
One day, when I asked Confucius what the three essential things a ruler needs to rule a country, he said food, the army, and the trust of the people. He then told them to throw away the food and the army if they had to throw away two of them.
The Bible says “The faithfulness of the upright guides them, but the rebellion of the wicked destroys them.” (Proverbs 11:3) “Who will dwell in your tent, O LORD, and who will dwell in your holy mountain? He speaks the truth in his heart' (Psalm 15:1-2) 'The way of the lazy is like a hedge, but the way of the upright is a highway (Proverbs 15:19) 'A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who tells lies will perish.' (Proverbs 19:9) 'The upright are eternal (Job 4:7) and prosper (Job 8:6).
Lincoln was working as a store clerk at the age of 20. One day, after selling something and counting the money, I had 3 cents more left. So I thought about it, and it was my wife who bought the item and paid eight dollars and three cents. Lincoln soon closed the door and set out to find his wife's house. And Lincoln, who met her, said, "I'm very sorry. I got three cents more, so please take it back.” Another day, I remembered selling tea to a woman and giving her a small portion. He ran the 20-mile road and brought what he needed. It is not as easy as one might think to walk justly and honestly along the good path. However, the Bible records that those who live honestly according to God's will will live on the earth and remain on the earth. In other words, those who live honestly and purely according to God's will will own the land and live well on it. Therefore, we should not envy the wicked who prosper for a while, but walk in the good way. Those who are righteous, just and upright will inherit the land because God gives wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and grace.)
A lie contest was held. The prize money was generous, so many people participated. A certain speaker went up on stage. “Well, I could see with my own eyes a large boulder hanging from a cobweb,” he said. Another said, “I broke my tooth while eating tofu, so I was on my way to the dentist.” However, the judges did not show any particular reaction. Another speaker went up on stage. “Even so, I am a very honest person. I've never said a single word of a lie in my entire life." The judges who were listening were amazed. And I decided him to be number one. It is becoming a strange society where lies are natural and honesty is awkward. God delights in the upright and renews the upright spirit. First of all, God is asking me to be honest. There is hope for a society and church where honesty is recognized. But where lies abound, there is no hope.
There was an old woman who wandered around the village selling rice cakes. The bread was delicious and cheap, so people flocked everywhere they went. The people who bought the rice cakes were always willing to buy more than they did the first time. But as the rice cakes sold well, Grandma sighed and did not appear in the village again. That day too, my grandmother sold rice cakes in an unfamiliar neighborhood. As in any town, those who bought bread once came back and bought more bread. That was then. A little boy held out a gold coin to his grandmother's hand. “Are you asking for the same amount of rice cake as this gold coin?” "no. This gold coin came from the rice cake I bought from my grandmother. It was not mine, so I brought it.” The old woman was looking for a successor to pass on her many inheritances and businesses. In the meantime, he had traveled all over the country selling rice cakes with gold coins to find honest people. People often do not get great fortune because of small greed in front of them. God is pleased with the upright and walks with him (1 Chronicles 29:17).
A Christian brother took the New Testament with him when he enlisted at the Nonsan Training Center. During the training according to the training schedule that repeats '50 minutes of training, 10 minutes of rest', I opened the Bible at every break. During breaks, fellow trainees usually smoked, so it looked like they were reading between the chimneys (?), but anyway, I was able to enjoy the joy of reading the Bible in my spare time. But one day, even if I continued to read the Bible, it was a pity that there were no passages that touched my heart. Then, while I was reading almost the entire New Testament, the words of 1 Timothy 1:5 touched my heart. 'The purpose of vigilance is love, with a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.' Also, I saw that 'faith without lies' is emphasized in 2 Timothy 1:5. The brother was greatly moved by those words and realized that the attitude he should have during his military service is such a 'cleanliness of heart'. The military society was convinced that that virtue would prove to be valuable. Those who are honest in heart are highly valued by God. A true God wants His children to be true and honest.
There was a man at Vanderbilt University named Madison Cherratt, a devout Christian mathematician. Dr. Madison Lee always said this every time he gave out exam papers to his students. 'Everyone, I have two tests for you today. One is 'Mathematics' and the other is 'Honesty'. Your passing the math test promises you temporary success. But unless you pass this test of honesty, you cannot expect real success in life. You can live your life brilliantly even if you fail this math test. But if you fail the test of honesty, you cannot expect a rewarding life.'
Why should we be honest? Let's think about why we should be honest.
First, because God is pleased with the upright. (1 Chronicles 29:17) Because God is upright (Psalm 25:8, Isa 26:7), He takes pleasure in the upright, and prepares perfect wisdom for the upright. (Proverbs 2:7), He hates liars. (Proverbs 12:22, Proverbs 19:9)
Second, because the way of the Lord is upright (Hos 14:9), and honesty is the duty of the saints (2 Corinthians 13:7).
There is a very small town in America called Adillow. But the villagers are all honest. Mr. Hamening, who lives there, runs a feed store and farm implements store. It opens at 7 in the morning and closes at noon, then goes to the ranch to work. However, while he works on the ranch, he leaves the warehouse door open so the villagers can freely take their belongings with them. And after returning home from work, who took what, and how much it should be, look at the ledger hanging on the door and review it. Mr. Hamening has been doing this type of business for many years and has never had anything stolen. How could such a thing be possible? It is because the people of Adilou Village are living a life that truly fears God. Those who fear God never deceive themselves, their neighbors, or God.
Third, honesty is because it brings glory to God (1 Peter 2:12).
A Jewish woman bought a coat in a department store, and when she returned home, she found a diamond ring in her coat pocket. The ring was found in the coat pocket when the owner of the coat shop was tidying up his coat. The Jewish wife who bought the coat goes to the department store to return the diamond ring to the owner. Then he takes his child and returns the ring to the owner in front of the child. The owner asks his wife, thanking and thanking him. 'Maybe you can be so honest?' Then the wife replies: 'I am a Jew. I believe in God.' Having said that, the wife returns home with the child. In this brief act, the wife did some amazing things that cannot be compared with a diamond ring. First, he taught his child to be honest. Taught a dignified and beautiful life. But there is something more important. It is to glorify God so that God's name may be sanctified. And, more importantly, he gave his child pride in the Jews and in God.
Fourth, because the upright are blessed (Deuteronomy 6:18-19).
A Christian woman who had just graduated from school got a job as a secretary to a company president. But as the days went by, problems began to arise. This was because more than half of the dozens of calls had to be made not to be routed to the president's office, even with appropriate lies. Unable to endure such a life, the woman told her boss that she would resign one day. Then, the president asked for some time to think, and a few days later, the secretary was appointed as an executive in charge of accounting. The boss praised the Christian woman's honesty. Sometimes we think being honest is stupid. But honesty necessarily brings us good fruit.
This time, let's look at what blessings an honest person receives from God.
First, the descendants are blessed. (Psalm 112:2)
The Livingston family, who made a great contribution to the mission of Africa as a British missionary, came from commoners and did not flow even a single drop of aristocratic blood, but something precious that even angels would envy was flowing in his veins. It is a godly faith and an honest spirit. When his ancestors died, his family motto was honesty after calling his children and saying, 'Children, be honest' as a will. They valued this, and by protecting their children and grandchildren, great men like Livingston were born from such a family.
Second, enjoy the good things of God (Psalm 84:11) and preserve the soul (Proverbs 16:17).
Third, you will see the face of God (Psalm 11:7), enjoy joy (Psalm 97:11, Psalm 107:42), and the tent will increase (Proverbs 14:11).
Fourth, you will have fellowship with God (Prov. 3:32), you will find love (Prov. 16:13), and you will receive answers to your prayers (Prov. 15:8).
Honesty is the foundation of morality and the foundation of conscience. Without honesty, neither truth nor faith is fiction and hypocrisy. I pray that all of the saints will live an honest life that is pleasing to God.