Cheaters Never Win
"Be sure your sin will find you out."1
"Cheaters never win and [real] winners never cheat." Cheaters may seem to win for a while but eventually their cheating finds them out.
Sadly here in America, the cases of cheaters being caught continues to increase. As Michael Josephson reported a few years ago in his radio program, Character Counts: "In a recent week we heard about the scandal of plagiarism by the journalist of the New York Times; the indictment of former billionaire Martha Stewart; accounting fraud at McKesson—a Fortune 20 company; accounting manipulations at the Xerox Corporation; related accounting scandals regarding Tyco International, Halliburton, the Rite Aid drugstore chain; and the 'famous' Sammy Sosa being caught red-handed using an illegal bat, saying it was used by mistake. Insiders and experts could hardly muffle their laughter, knowing that hitters of Sosa's caliber know their bats like mothers know their children."2
But we still don’t get it. Big-time business professionals are still cheating and getting caught and hot-shot politicians who collect our taxes are getting caught because they haven’t been paying their taxes.
Josephson concludes, "These cases could fuel cynicism but I think the real message from these new additions to our national Hall of Shame is that, no matter what the upside potential, cheaters really do not prosper in the long run. People who take moral shortcuts pay a horrible price—loss of position, credibility, reputation and, worst of all, utter disgrace."3
But it's not only in America. Some readers will recall how, a few years ago now, my broker in Australia stole my entire retirement fund. I don't know how long he had been cheating by stealing from his clients, but he, too, got caught red-handed and paid a terrible price—he lost his honor, his trustworthiness and received a six-year jail sentence!
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me to always heed and live by the directives found in Your Word and adhere strictly to all your commandments—all of which are given for our protection and the successful functioning of any society. When I'm tempted to stray, give me a listening ear to hear the voice of my conscience and the inner prodding of Your Spirit. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
1. Numbers 32:23 (KJV).
2. Michael Josephson, "Character Counts," (309.1) and (309.2), www.charactercounts.org
3. Ibid.
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All articles on this website are written by
Richard (Dick) Innes unless otherwise stated.