The idea of cheating is detested by most of us. Yet some people seem to make their living by cheating others, claiming that cheating is okay, as long as you don’t get caught.
To try and improve our personal status, we can cheat in sport and other games, even examinations and in situations of trust. And all in the hope we won’t be caught. Sadly, we can be so engrossed in the need to win all the time, that cheating can often become second nature to us. Cheating on our Taxation returns seems to have become a National game and is often referred to as ‘working the system’.
However, should we have cheated in a particular situation and been found out, not only could it be a serious embarrassment to us, but it can leave an indelible mark on our name and our character for years to come.
All of us might be tempted at times to cheat by deceiving others, lying and stealing, which might give us an opportunity to be seen as someone better than we really are. The old saying that cheats never prosper usually proves true. For, in the long run, if we cheat, we’ll only be fooling ourselves.
Being tempted to cheat is a normal part of living, but by giving into the cheating temptation tends to show the type of character we are developing for ourselves.
Let’s be truthful in our dealings with each other and ensure we look first at ourselves and our own habits, before we get too vocal about those around us who have been caught out cheating.
I’m Peter Mack and that’s life.