Do not shorten your season of blessing by pursuing what God has not assigned to you. Do not bring divine opportunities to a halt because of dishonest gain. There are things money cannot compensate for: peace, favour, credibility, a clear conscience and the hand of God upon your life.
Jeremiah 17:11 (NKJV) warns about gaining riches “but not by right.” What is acquired through dishonesty, manipulation, exploitation or taking advantage of others may appear profitable for a season, but it carries no lasting blessing. If God has not given it to you, you do not need to steal, scheme or oppress another person to obtain it.
Be careful with people’s money, trust, opportunities, reputation, ideas and resources. Do not consume what was entrusted to you. Do not misuse what belongs to another. Do not build your comfort on another person’s pain.
This becomes even more important when God places people under your care. Whether as a leader, employer, parent, mentor or person in authority, people are not instruments for personal gain. They are lives entrusted to you. Do not manipulate their loyalty, exploit their vulnerability or take advantage of their trust. Authority is a stewardship before it is a privilege.
Jesus warned in Matthew 24:12, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” When wrongdoing becomes normal, the heart gradually loses sensitivity. A person may begin with something small, justify it, repeat it and eventually stop feeling convicted about it. Guard your heart. Never become so familiar with wrongdoing that what once troubled your conscience begins to look acceptable.
Be careful how you handle another person’s seed. That seed may be financial, emotional, spiritual or relational. Someone may place confidence in you, give you an opportunity, commit resources into your hands or trust you with something precious. Handle it with integrity. What you faithfully protect for another person says something about what God can safely place in your own hands.
Remember, whatever God genuinely gives you comes with His peace and His blessing. You do not need to cheat someone to prosper, pull another person down to rise, abuse people to maintain authority or take what belongs to another person to fulfil God’s purpose for your life.
Let this be a simple but serious reminder: Do not touch what is not yours. Do not destroy another person’s seed through ignorance, greed or carelessness. Walk in love. Walk in integrity. Honour what has been entrusted to you.
What belongs to you, God is able to bring into your hands the right way, at the right time and without sorrow. This message is not random. It is a word for you. It is better to wait for God’s provision than to possess something that costs you His peace, your character and the blessings prepared for your future.
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