Tags: Christian businessman, paying correct taxes, King James Bible, faith and finance, Christian integrity
Chapter 1: The Burden of Success
Sammy Broque was a well-known entrepreneur in Davao City. He built his trading company from scratch, fueled by ambition and a desire to provide for his family. As his business flourished, so did the complexities of managing it. Employees were hired, suppliers expanded, and revenues soared. But with prosperity came one thing he had not prepared for—tax obligations.
Despite having an accountant, Sammy often felt tempted to “adjust” figures just enough to ease the burden. “Everyone’s doing it,” he told himself. “Why should I pay more than I need to?”
Though a professing Christian, Sammy had drifted from regular Bible reading and prayer. Sunday services were sporadic, and business often took priority. As tax season approached, the anxiety returned—alongside pressure from some in his circle to underreport sales. He was restless, burdened not just with numbers, but with guilt.
Chapter 2: The Gentle Rebuke
One quiet evening, Sammy visited his aging mother, a devoted Christian woman whose faith never wavered. Over a cup of tea, she noticed his furrowed brow.
“Business troubles again?” she asked.
He sighed. “It’s this tax situation, Ma. If I pay everything correctly, the business will suffer. If I don’t, I risk my conscience—and possibly getting caught.”
She reached for her worn King James Bible and gently said, “Let me read you something, anak.”
She opened to Romans 13:6-7 (KJV):
“For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.”
Sammy grew quiet. The words stung, not with condemnation, but conviction.
His mother continued, “Son, God doesn’t bless dishonesty. He blesses faithfulness—even when it’s costly. Are you trusting Him, or your balance sheet?”
Chapter 3: A Change of Heart
That night, Sammy opened his own Bible—the same King James Bible he had received as a youth in Sunday School. The pages felt familiar, yet new.
He read from Proverbs 16:11 (KJV):
“A just weight and balance are the Lord's: all the weights of the bag are his work.”
And then Luke 16:10 (KJV):
“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”
The Holy Spirit was working in his heart. He realized that if he wanted God’s favor, he had to honor God not just in prayer, but in paperwork, invoices, and tax filings.
With newfound resolve, Sammy gathered his accounting team the next day. “From now on, we report everything accurately. No shortcuts. No creative reporting. If we’re blessed with profit, we’ll be blessed with integrity too.”
His team was stunned—but inspired.
Chapter 4: The Testing
At first, it wasn’t easy. The tax bill was higher than ever. Margins shrank. A few clients walked away after realizing they could no longer “adjust” their deals under the table.
But Sammy held fast. He would pray every morning, opening with Psalm 37:3 (KJV):
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.”
Soon, unexpected blessings came. A large company sought a reliable and transparent supplier—Sammy’s firm was one of the few that could meet strict compliance. The deal was larger than anything he had hoped for.
He didn’t rejoice in the profit, but in the peace that flooded his soul. He no longer feared the BIR or the audit notice. His conscience was clear, and he stood upright not just before men, but before God.
Chapter 5: A New Mission
Sammy became an advocate for Christian business ethics, speaking in small business fellowships, churches, and even colleges. He would always share this verse:
Matthew 22:21 (KJV)
“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.”
“Integrity is not just about taxes,” he would say. “It’s about the kind of heart we bring to our work. When we cheat the system, we rob not only the government—but ourselves of God’s blessing.”
Epilogue: Legacy of Faith
Years later, Sammy’s business was still thriving—but more importantly, so was his faith. His children saw a man who chose obedience over comfort. The Bible remained on his desk, not just as a symbol, but as a daily guide.
Whenever someone asked him how he handled the pressures of running a business, he’d smile and say, “I let the Lord handle the pressure—I just make sure I do what’s right.”
And in every tax return, Sammy rendered to Caesar what was due, and to God, the glory.
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