After using a piece of equipment for one day, I returned it to a local store after it stopped working. It should have been a normal merchandise return, but an inconsistency alerted the clerk. Apparently, the serial number on the item and the one on the box did not match. They suspected that I was trying to pull something over on them with some scam. Eventually, I proved to them that the return was legitimate, and they refunded the full amount of my purchase.
I was embarrassed, to tell the truth, and a little mad that they would accuse me of doing something dishonest. Soon, I realized the clerk most likely dealt with dishonesty much of her day. They did not know me, so how would they know that I was being honest?
My being accused of something others do reminded me of how others’ sins affect so many. Perhaps, the employee who packed the box was lazy and did not match up products with serial numbers. I was the one who paid the price for his lack of care that others may have been affected.
This error is nothing compared to how others are hurt by other’s sins. The iniquity of others has changed this world.
- Thievery from businesses causes mistrust of many customers. Eventually, it raises the prices of items in the store to cover the loss of stolen merchandise.
- Speed limits had to be placed on highways because so many drove recklessly, endangering, and hurt innocent drivers. Signs had to be purchased, and employees were hired to make and install the warnings. Innocent taxpayers had to pay for the cost because of selfish, inconsiderate, often impatient drivers.
- Because of being too lazy to work, those who do work have to pay higher taxes for those who refuse to be employed while the slothful collect welfare and other forms of government handouts. There is no such thing as “free” money. Someone somewhere is paying for others’ “free” rides!
- The sin of adultery destroys many marriages when unfaithfulness is discovered. The innocent spouse is left without a mate and, in most cases, must financially and mentally suffer because of the other’s selfish infidelity. Children in the family also suffer because of not having both parents and in most cases, have their lives turned upside down.
- Killing babies by abortion destroys innocent lives and emotionally scars the mother. It may also pave the way for others to do the same when they have an unexpected pregnancy; “My friend got an abortion, so it must be okay, so I’ll get one too because of my situation,” or “I want to have premarital sex, and if I get pregnant, I’ll just abort the baby. No big deal.”
- Many politicians assure themselves of their jobs by making laws that pay and encourage others’ wrong actions, law-breaking, and immorality to get more votes to keep themselves in office. Societies have been destroyed by years of self-serving officials who were more concerned about their prosperity rather than how their governing affected others.
- Drunkards drive under the influence of alcohol and kill innocent pedestrians.
On and on the list could go of how sin affects and hurts others. No one gets away with sin. All sin has repercussions. It ultimately hurts the one committing the iniquity but hurts so many others. No wonder God hates sin! Avoid sin like the plague because it spreads and hurts so many others, and its price tag is more than any would want to pay.
“There is a terrible price on ALL sin that no one wants to pay when the ‘bill’ is due!”
