Genesis 30:33 And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored, will be considered stolen.

Many don't know, but my dear husband is a Certified Fraud Examiner. It's a level of accounting that many people never attain to, or want to for that matter. He has seen almost every type of fraud perpetrated upon innocent people that you can imagine. And always, the root cause is one thing, greed. The victims get drawn into it by their wanting something for free or wanting to make money in other than traditional ways. And of course, the perps provide a way for them to do that. They provide a way to steal and destroy people's lives.

But to my amazement, THIS homeschool Mom has seen the same thing happening in homeschool circles. When I first started, I saw people copying books instead of buying them. Then I saw people duplicating tapes and video's they had not bought, but which had copyrights on them, saying that because they could not afford the material, it was ok to copy it. Then as shareware and freeware became the vogue for lessons, people started copying copyrighted software and sharing disks. And almost everyday on a list you will see whole articles copied and sent to thousands of people instead of just sending the url of the article to everyone. All of these things are considered little things, until you read what Jesus said about money.

But my biggest amazement has been that people will read someone's copyrighted work, and then instead of paying for it and using the program as intended, they will copy it and use it under another name. There are whole conspiracies of people doing this within the homeschool support groups. Is this how the people of God should behave?? Is this the new standard that we have established because we did not like the public school standard? I would hope not.

From what Jesus said in Matthew 5:17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Our right standing has to be better than the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law. Our walking rightly has to surpass that which is in the world.

And in the area of trusting you with things of value: Luke 16:10"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?

Our right dealing in the area of money is directly tied into our walk with Jesus in this passage. He can only trust us as far as we are honest in our daily dealings with other people in the financial area. I have seen many good Christians get caught up and fail the
*money test*. And they wonder why they are in a rut in their walk with the Lord. They wonder why there is never enough money at the end of the month. And yet, they use that lack as the excuse to not walk uprightly in the area of money, and will again copy and use things they did not pay for.

You know, we serve a Gracious God. If you see that you have done any of the above, please ask for forgiveness of God and then from the person you stole from. Ask God how you need to handle asking forgiveness from the person you may have inadvertently stolen from. Yes, you may have to pay back or pay for the things you stole, but your reward in the spiritual realm will be increased. And you will be amazed at how things will smooth out here on Earth in the financial area as well.
**************************************************************** This is a word search on biblegateway. org for Honesty.

Ps 25:21 - Show Context May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you.

Ps 27:11 - Show Context Teach me how to live, O LORD. Lead me along the path of honesty, for my enemies are waiting for me to fall.

Ps 32:2 - Show Context Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

Ps 51:6 - Show Context But you desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being.

Pr 11:1 - Show Context The LORD hates cheating, but he delights in honesty.

Pr 11:3 - Show Context Good people are guided by their honesty; treacherous people are destroyed by their dishonesty.

Pr 11:5 - Show Context The godly are directed by their honesty; the wicked fall beneath their load of sin.

Jer 5:3 - Show Context LORD, you are searching for honesty. You struck your people, but they paid no attention. You crushed them, but they refused to turn from sin. They are determined, with faces set like stone; they have refused to repent.

Lu 3:13 - Show Context "Show your honesty," he replied. "Make sure you collect no more taxes than the Roman government requires you to."

New Living Translation

Pr 10:9 - Show Context Honesty lives confident and carefree, but Shifty is sure to be exposed.

Pr 16:11 - Show Context God cares about honesty in the workplace; your business is his business.

Message Translation

Ps 86:11 - Show Context Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.

1Sa 12:24 - Show Context Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.

Pr 3:3 - Show Context Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,

Pr 8:7 - Show Context For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

Pr 12:17 - Show Context He who speaks truth declares righteousness, But a false witness, deceit.

Pr 14:22 - Show Context Do they not go astray who devise evil? But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good.

Pr 16:6 - Show Context In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.

Pr 20:28 - Show Context Mercy and truth preserve the king, And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne.

Pr 22:21 - Show Context That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you?

Pr 23:23 - Show Context Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.

Pr 29:14 - Show Context The king who judges the poor with truth, His throne will be established forever.

Pr 29:24 - Show Context Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life; He swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.

NKJV