Little Lies...
It's that time of year... tax season.
As business owners,
We have this glorious word called,
"Write-offs".
If it's a business expense,
Write it off,
If it's SLIGHTLY business related,
Write it off,
If it's HARDLY business related,
Still write it off,
Lower your taxable income no matter what,
Everything is justified.
The more write-offs the merrier, right?
Or is it?
Based on whose standard?
Based on what perspective?
This can be a slippery slope,
If we're not on guard,
If we're not careful,
It can cause us to be out of God's will.
There was a time when the Pharisees wanted to outsmart and trap Jesus in a question about paying taxes.
Just like us,
No one liked paying taxes,
And it was normal to try to get out of it.
In that time as a Jew,
If you advocated paying taxes,
Then you were a traitor to the Jews,
And if you advocated not paying taxes,
You were in rebel to the Romans.
So how did Jesus answer the question of if they should PAY taxes?
"Then pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God's."
Hmmm...
Did Jesus just tell us to pay taxes?
Is there any other examples?
Yes.
In another scenario,
Jesus even paid a TEMPLE tax that He even said He is exempt from,
But He paid in anyways.
What does this mean?
Jesus didn't avoid paying taxes,
Jesus obeyed the laws,
As long as it didn't conflict with God's laws,
Jesus didn't lie to get out of taxes,
Jesus didn't stretch the truth to get out of taxes,
Jesus paid taxes even when He could have argued His way out of it.
There's a fine line between business savvy and LYING when it comes to taxes.
But here's the bottom line.
"You shall not steal."
If you're lying your way out of paying taxes even for a dollar,
That is stealing,
That is cheating,
That's not God's will.
Think about how God feels...
How would you feel if your child stole a 50 cent candy from the store?
Does it make it "ok" because it was a small amount?
Of course not,
It's the very fact that your child STOLE that is the big deal.
How do you think God feels when you lie and steal to pay less taxes?
Food for thought as you do your taxes...
Don't sell a piece of your soul for human dollars that won't be around for that much longer.
No dollar matters in the eternal scope of things,
But the decisions you make will impact you for eternity.
Be smart,
Beware,
Be on guard,
As you do your taxes,
It's a SPIRITUAL BATTLE.
"LOVE the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."
Love God more than dollars.
"Dear Heavenly Father,
Help me be honest,
Help me be fair,
Help me PLEASE You,
When it comes to doing my taxes.
Help me not lie,
Help me not steal,
Help me not stretch the truth,
And end up lying.
Help me not trade my soul for a dollar,
Help me not grieve you for a dollar,
Instead...
Help me choose YOU over any dollar,
In Jesus name, Amen."
Cheers to making God happy as you do your taxes.
