What Would You Do?

by HJS

After several years of commuting back and forth to the office and dropping your child off at a day care center, you are given the opportunity of working at home. Your employer provides the computer and pays for your Internet connection. No longer do you punch in and out. No one is watching to see if you are working, or shopping or talking with a friend on the phone.

How, then, would you handle the following situations?

SCENARIO 1: Your phone rings and an old friend whom you have not seen for a long time wants to meet you for lunch or to have coffee. If anyone calls, you can field the contact using your cell phone. Nobody would know that you took off three hours. Is this ethical or unethical?

SCENARIO 2: On days when you finish your work early, is it OK to do housework or head to the gym or do grocery shopping as long as you are available for phone calls? Is it ethical or unethical?

SCENARIO 3: Your daughter needs to do a report and use the Internet for research. Your computer is sitting there. Nobody from your office logs your time on the Internet, and, besides, no one will ever know what you do evenings or how the equipment is used. Is this ethical or unethical?

Scripture clearly teaches right and wrong that is not dependent on "getting the job done" or whether you can get away with something. Paul wrote, "Provide things honest in the sight of all men" (Romans 12:17 KJV). That's still what God requires.

Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.   TITUS 2:9-10