ROBBERY BLUES

Acts 5: 1 – 11

After the final episode of the 2002 TV program Survivor: Africa, a wrap-up special focused on the final contestants. The show’s host Jeff Probst said that the victor won “mostly by sticking with his principles.” The champion later explained that he wanted to win while retaining “dignity and self-respect.” He elaborated that you don’t have to lie, cheat, or do underhanded things to win. You can be competitive, yet still be truthful and nice. In short, he permitted no discrepancy between image and reality.

1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
8 Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?" "Yes," she said, "that is the price."

We know that both Ananias and Sapphira both lied about the price they got for their land and were struck dead by the Holy Spirit. Was it because they kept back a part of the money for themselves?
No, it was because they lied and said that they gave the full price.
They cheated.
They wanted to be recognized as a generous couple, but they were not what they appeared to be. This gap caused them to lie to the Holy Spirit and to the faith community. They paid a terrible price—death. Their example stands as a stark warning to us all.

We hear all the time that; “Cheaters never prosper”. That may well be true in the long run, but it never seems that way at the time, Cheaters mostly appear to do well. Just watch any reality game show. Lies and cheating abounds as people claw and scratch their way to victory. Because of examples like this we tend to forget the example of Ananias and Sapphira, all we get are negative life lessons, and are told that it's how to play the game.
So, if the only example of what happens to those who cheat God are two people, how can we use it when we are overwhelmed by images to the contrary?

The easy thing to do is not always the right thing, and the right thing to do is not always easy, but there lies the difference between winning at all costs, and being victorious in the end.
Why be struck dead when we can stand victorious?

Keeping our integrity in all the things we do, doing what is right, being who we say we are, being transparent in everything we do, these are the things that separate us from the world.
What discrepancies have we permitted in our lives? We must confess them and close the gaps.

Integrity means never having to look over your shoulder.