We all have heard that the truth will set you free.
It's in the Bible.
We all have heard that cheating is bad.
I don't know if the word cheating is in the Bible………….but it oughta be.
It should go something like………cheating is bad………..or something.
But sometimes telling the truth does not pay.
Sometimes cheaters get ahead.
How many times have we all seen it………………right?
In school.
In business.
In marriage.
In sports.
Sometimes it seems like cheaters don't get caught and liars get ahead.
Can you hear the preacher? "And the TRUTHuh shall SETuh you FREE!!"
Yadayadayada……………..whatever.
But sometimes in life you are reminded why it is important to tell the truth.
Sometimes in life you are reminded why cheating is bad.
Not to long ago the hottest girl on the planet……..my wife………and I were contacted by the IRS.
Yea………..not a good day.
They said that they needed to come and audit us.
They wanted to take a little look-see at the tax return for 2005.
Oh great………….the first year of our business.
What had I done?..............What had I not done?......................What had I missed?
What did I do wrong?
Trust me when I tell you that it wasn't the extravagant amount of money we made that red flagged us.
And even though I felt as though we had been honest and forthright in the information we submitted , I wasn't afraid of getting into trouble……………………….but come on…………this is the I…R…S…!!
So, we set a date for them to come out and do their thing.
Again, trust me when I tell you that the anxiety created waiting for the IRS to show up at YOUR house and sit at YOUR desk and ask you questions about things that happened two years ago………..well let's just say………waiting for that moment was pretty tough.
So the day came and the IRS showed up.
They sat us down and asked us all kinds of questions.
Two hours worth of questions.
They asked us so many questions that it sort of felt like their tactic was to ask us the same question seven different ways in hopes that we would change our tune.
But we just told them the truth………………..over and over again.
After they were done interrogating…….I mean …….'interviewing' us they said, "OK, let us get busy here and go over your return."
So for the next two days we sat in our house in silence while the IRS sat in out office and typed stuff on their laptops.
The sound of the typing almost made me nuts.
What were they typing?
Was I in trouble?
Did I make some huge mistake?
Was I gonna go to IRS jail?
Anyhow, to make a very long two day story short the ladies said that they needed some additional information to document what we had told them in our interview.
What that means is………….prove it buddy.
So we set ANOTHER day to meet with them.
Approximately 3 weeks later.
In the meantime, Gwennie worked very hard at getting all the documentation together so that we could show them that we were telling the truth.
So, the day finally came.
They showed up again.
Sat at OUR desk in OUR house and typed stuff on their computer about us.
Again………………clicketyclacketyclicketyclackety………….geez!
It came to the end of the day and she says to us,
"Well, it looks as though you will be getting additional money from us."
I'm sorry?.....................What did you just say?
YOU are going to give US more money?
You mean to tell me the IRS pays you $50,000 a year and you took three days to figure out that you need to give US more money?
Lady, the IRS has made terrible investment in you.
YOU are supposed to get money FROM us…………….not give it TO us.
She said that we would be getting $288 additional money.
She added that it would be with interest added.
I was like, "Oh………..so $289 then?"
She also added that of all the audits she has done that we were the very first people to get a return…………………sweet.
But I guess the true story reminded me that telling the truth and not cheating really does pay off.
My life verse has always been Proverbs 3:5,6.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (NKJ)
The NIV says it this way…………….
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (NIV)
And He will make your paths straight…………………I like that.
Acknowledging God means more than simply saying "Hi" to Him.
Acknowledging God means showing Him that you know who He is.
The way we show Him that we know who He is, is simply to do the things He said.
Like tell the truth.
Like don't cheat.
Days like today I am glad I told the truth and didn't cheat……………….at least on my 2005 taxes anyway.
