“The Lord demands fairness in every business deal” (Proverbs 16:11 TLB).

“Better to be poor and honest than rich and dishonest” (Proverbs 19:1).

“What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” (Matthew 16:26 NLT).

If you want God’s blessing on your finances, you’ve got to be honest. You can’t rip people off!

The Bible also says, “The Lord’s blessing brings wealth, and no sorrow comes with it” (Proverbs 10:22 NCV). Have you ever known someone who made money dishonestly, and it just brought them trouble? That’s always the outcome of profit made dishonestly. Remember: You will reap what you sow. If you are dishonest with others, it will be returned to you. If you think you haven’t been caught, the clock is still ticking. No one can mock God and get away with it.

Whatever you sow you will inevitably reap. The principle of sowing and reaping is a powerful reminder of the importance of being honest with finances.

Sometimes the pressure to get ahead—or just the pressure to keep up—is so overwhelming that we, even as believers, are tempted to compromise our ethics and maybe do a little shading of the truth to make a buck. Maybe we overvalue an item, or maybe we just don’t tell somebody what’s wrong with something when we’re selling it to them, or maybe we take a deduction on the taxes that really isn’t there. Maybe we just don’t tell the truth in a situation.

God has said that he will meet your needs if you ask for his help and maintain your integrity. You don’t have to be dishonest to get ahead. You don’t have to get ahead—period!

You only need to choose to be obedient day by day. God sees your heart and your actions, and he will bless you when you choose to honor him in your finances.