Proverbs 1:19 “Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it.”
Gains you seize instead of gains you receive from God – these take away the substance of true life. At the start, when the temptation is strongest, it may seem like pursuing an ill-gotten gain is harmless, even the smart and savvy thing to do. But it will take away your life. What are examples of ill-gotten gains? Cheating on taxes, trampling others to get ahead, taking credit for another’s work, putting myself in the limelight, stealing time from family to impress the boss. How do these things take away life? Consider the pervading sense of guilt and shame that robs me of joy, or the harm inflicted on relationships, or the burden of propagating lies to cover my tracks and justify my actions. In the end, it will result in utter dissatisfaction with the “gains”.
Father, please keep me from foolish and self-serving pursuits, from taking shortcuts, from even a hint of evil in my desires or actions. I want the life you give, free from the stain of guilt and shame and hiding like Adam and Eve in the Garden after eating the forbidden fruit. Jesus is the way, truth, and the life.