But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. However, he kept back a part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge, and brought a portion of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. Acts 5:1-2 HCSB
I want to believe salespeople when they say the product they are selling really does what they say it can do. I want to believe that the people with whom I do business are telling the truth. I want to believe my friends when they tell me what they did. But sometimes I suspect that some of the people with whom I interact on a daily basis are not being completely honest with me.
That was the problem with Ananias and his wife Sapphira. They had every right to keep a portion of the proceeds from the sale of their property, but they were deceptive and made it appear that they had given all of the proceeds. They wanted to appear to be as generous as Barnabas. This was a sin against God and the church.
Challenge: When have you seen other people being deceptive? Have you been deceptive in some way? Do you appear to be someone that you really are not? God hates dishonesty and deception. Pray that God will use the Holy Spirit to convict you and help you to present yourself honestly to those you encounter each day.