Presenting ...
... a weekly letter of encouragement.
29 January, 1997 - Singapore
Good Morning!
GREED...RATIONALIZATION...COMPROMISE
Recently, in the course of counseling a young businessman,
I was asked if I thought "insider trading+"
was wrong.
"Is it against company policy"
I inquired? "Yes," he replied. "Is
it against the laws of the land," I
queried? "Yes," came his response.
After an awkward pause I asked, "Joe, why then, are
you asking me this question?"
Silence.
In frustration I then directed him to look at Job 27:3 - 6:
"As long as I have life within me... my tongue will utter no deceit...Till I die, I will not deny my integrity...My conscience will not reproach me as long as I live.?"
As we read this passage from his Bible, I
noticed that he already had it circled and underlined. "Had
he not previously pondered and perhaps even wrestled with the
truth of this passage," I wondered? "How is
it that he could consider these profound teachings and still
ask whether 'insider trading' is wrong"?
The answer lies in the fact that many
believers who are committed to, and immersed in the cut throat
climate of the business environment
have developed an amazing ability to rationalize and side-step
the Bible's high standard of integrity. They are able to do this
simply by living in the two worlds of the spiritual and
the secular as did the Old Testament Jews:
"While these people were worshipping the Lord, they were serving their idols." (II
Kings 17:41)
And by so doing, they make Dr. Jekyll and
Mr. Hyde look like a novice.
AT THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM LIES OUR
STUBBORN REFUSAL TO ALLOW CHRIST TO BE THE LORD OF OUR WORK BECAUSE
WE FEAR THAT IF WE ABANDON
OURSELVES TO A BIBLICAL ETHIC, EITHER:
(1) Our business will collapse under the
competition, or
(2) God won't provide for us at the standard
to which we have become accustomed.
The first fear centers on a carnal lack
of faith, and the second on greed. BOTH ARE
SIN.
My prayer is that you are having a great week!
Dwight Hill
- 1 Coleman Street #02-34
The Adelphi - Singapore 0617 .
- Phone: 337 6498; Fax: 336 9913
(c) Copyright 1996 Dwight Hill. Unlimited permission to copy or use is hereby granted subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.
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