Moral Poverty

                       Proverbs 17:20   The crooked heart will not prosper;
                                             the lying tongue tumbles into trouble. NLT

Stretching the truth, (otherwise know as lying) seems to have become socially acceptable. In business and our personal lives, embellishment has become "strategic marketing."

Integrity and honesty used to go hand in hand and were once required if one hoped to gain respect. Today, however, one gets recognition for the number of "likes" received or the volume of hits on a Youtube page. On occasion, the recognition is for things that are uplifting, wholesome - true. Unfortunately, all too often, the more offensive the content, the more it is shared. It truly does become a "virus."

As society moves toward indecency, incivility, and violence, lying has become commonplace. Though we make every attempt to make it so, darkness can never become light. Light exposes what hides in the dark. Lies to hide indiscretions, embellishments on resumes, intentional omissions on tax returns - every lie is evidence of our the depravity of humankind. "Everybody does it." "It's okay as long as nobody gets hurt." these are the lies we use to justify behavior we know to be suspect.

In the July 13 devotion of Every Day with Jesus, Mr. Hughes' summary states:
"The universe is made for the same thing as we are - namely, righteousness. not only the face of the Lord but the face of the universe is set against those who live below its standards." 

May we all strive to live above the poverty level standard of a world of unrighteousness.