Got Integrity?Deborah Smith Pegues, C.P.A., M.B.A.,Contributing Editor
Leaders lead... ideally in every discipline: spiritually, physically, emotionally, relationally and yes even, financially. Those of us who are in ministry are under the constant surveillance of a skeptical and cynical world with scrutiny of our finances. There is no area that will test your spirituality, your commitment to holiness more than the area of finances. As a preaching woman, you are already aware of the fact that the majority of Jesus' parables dealt with money and possessions. How we handle our finances is critical to our effectiveness in the kingdom. Jesus warned, "If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches" (Luke 16:11 KJV).
I have been exposed to ministry finances for most of my life. My dad was the finance chairman of our small church in Texas. He kept the weekly offerings hidden in the closet. He was a man of integrity and made it clear that we were never to touch the church's money. Because we knew there would be serious consequences, my six siblings and I dared not violate his order. Several decades later, I would have the privilege of serving for over eight years as Chief Financial Officer of West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles, a 22,000-member congregation headed by Bishop Charles E. Blake, who is also the International Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ, Inc. Bishop Blake never balked at walking in financial integrity. He would always say, "I'm not going to hell and I'm not going to jail." His personal and professional integrity endeared him to bankers, politicians, and the common man. It certainly ran counter to the experiences that I'd had working with various ministers and their organizations large and small.
What about you? What kind of a financial reputation do you and your ministry have? Are you current on all of your debts-even those due to private individuals? Are you being deceitful about your health or financial condition in order to qualify for certain government or other benefits? Do you manipulate audiences or donors for personal financial gain by playing on their emotions and naiveté? Do you prophesy blessings to others and then subtly attempt to get them to share the abundance with you? Do you find yourself, much like Ananias and Sapphira, misrepresenting how liberal you have been? There are endless ways to walk in dishonesty. Satan doesn't care which door you open, he just wants access to your life and your finances. And yes, all of these acts of dishonesty will open the backdoor for your blessings to flow out-even if you are a tither! Sure, God has promised to open the windows of heaven and to pour out blessings to the tither, but we must make sure we keep the backdoor of dishonesty slammed shut at all cost. Otherwise, our blessings will end up in pockets with holes in them.
Dishonesty can severely impact your ability to exercise faith. As the scripture says, "Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight" (1 John 3:21-22). It will be difficult to stand in faith for a blessing when, in your heart, you know that you have not walked in integrity. Guilt and condemnation will constantly remind you that you do not deserve the grace of God. (Now will you ever?)
Several years ago, my husband Darnell and I were in the midst of a real estate purchase transaction that appeared to hit a roadblock at every turn. We knew that we had excellent credit, but the banks kept rejecting our application for financing. After seeking the Lord one night, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that the mortgage broker had embellished our personal financial information by exaggerating certain rental income and other items. The Lord sternly warned me that the application must reflect the truth. I had inwardly rationalized that perhaps God was doing a "Rahab" deal. You know the story. Rahab the harlot lied about the whereabouts of the Jewish spies so that the Jericho soldiers would not catch them (Joshua 2). With the Rahab precedent in my mind, I figured that God was thinking of using an unholy person (the mortgage broker) to bring deliverance or a blessing to a righteous one (that would be me). Okay, so it was a stretch! Despite my rationalization, the Holy Spirit prevailed. I called the broker and told him to only reflect accurate information in the application. As a result, a bank approved the necessary financing within days. Thank God for His word that comes to convict and to guide. Thank God that once we have been exposed to His word, we cannot sin and maintain our peace for "… righteousness and peace have kissed each other" (Psalms 85:10 KJV). Sin produces anxiety, but there is an intimate connection between doing right and experiencing the peace of God.
Further, when you engage in a dishonest act, you are in effect saying to God, "I need or desire more resources than I currently have, but I don't believe that you will provide them. Therefore, I'll make my own way through ungodly means." This pitfall is a slap in God's face and can have lasting consequences-even on future generations. One of the best legacies you can leave for your family is one of integrity. "The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him" (Proverbs 20:7 NKJ).
Action Challenge: It is time to engage in a soul-searching, self-examination to identify and weed out any behavior that may be blocking our financial-and spiritual-progress. "Therefore, if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches" (Luke 16:11 NKJV)? Take a moment and ask yourself, "Do I currently have a back door of dishonesty open?" Put your trust in God and slam it shut now! He is just waiting for an opportunity to show Himself strong in your finances. He wants to supply your every need according to His riches, not your limited supply channel or human schemes. Let Him get the glory.
About the Author
Deborah Pegues is an experienced certified public accountant, a Bible teacher, a speaker, and a certified behavioral consultant specializing in understanding personality temperaments. As well as the bestselling 30 Days to Taming Your Tongue (more than 375,000 sold), she has authored 30 Days to Taming Your Finances and 30 Days to Taming Your Stress. Deborah is an ordained minister and also holds a masters degree in business finance from the University of Southern California. She and her husband, Darnell, have been married for nearly 30 years and make their home in Los Angeles.