He was comfortable in his job. The pay was good, hours reasonable and travel minimal. His family’s needs were met but the wants – a second car, a bigger house and kids’ activities had the expenses out-pacing the income. He justified padding his expense account because the entertaining he was doing took away from family time. Over a few months of continued financial pressure, this manifested into falsifying invoices to funnel more money his way. He covered his tracks well for a couple of years until an external audit uncovered the scheme.
Embezzlement was not the word he used as he was justifying his actions. The audit produced indisputable evidence and the case against him was cut and dry. There would be jail time and a several hundred thousand dollar fine. That reality brought a shroud of darkness down on him and his family.
Live the Truth: “… I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. … Yet, I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in Him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true Light is already shining.” – 1John 2:7-8. Man has justified sin from the beginning. “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Gen.3:1). When it was seen “that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom,” they justified eating of the tree they were forbidden to eat from. “Did God really say,” … “a man will leave his father and mother to be united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” (Gen.2:24). When David saw Bathsheba bathing, he justified adultery and murder to take his eighth wife. “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.” (Eph.5:3). Channel surfing or one more click on the computer today opens the door for sexual immorality to permeate the best of homes and churches - man will always have the choice to tarry in darkness and justify sin to his detriment. John’s expectation is for truth to be seen in man just as it was seen in Christ. The true Light is already shining and the call is to live the truth.
Two years in jail humbled the man. The true Light shined through as his family stayed beside him and his church embraced him. He confessed, repented and committed to be a man through whom others would see the truth.
Prayer guide: Lord, I thank You for Your Word, the Truth, and for the Truth becoming flesh to walk this earth. I confess that I have justified tarrying in darkness. Forgive me. Just as the Truth was seen in Jesus, it is to be seen in me as I conform to His image (Rom.8:29) and not to the pattern of this world (Rom.12:2). Lord, the darkness in this world can be overwhelming but the Truth is that the darkness is passing and the true Light is already shining. Equip me to live the Truth, to be Your Light and rebuke the darkness in this world that threatens family and the Church. Amen.
A faithful father lives the Truth to be Light in this world and rebuke darkness.
