Are You An Honest Person?

Are You An Honest Person?

           I was talking to some people the other day and we got on the subject of being an honest person.  My mother taught me as a very young child that stealing was wrong and to never, never take something that didn’t belong to you.  Not only did she teach me, but she was a great example to me. 

                
           If someone gave my mother too much change back, she never kept it but she always gave it back, even if it was a penny.  I never saw her try to take more than she paid for not was she dishonest in any dealings.  So I grew up to be a very honest person and taught my children the same. 

          As the years went by I was confronted by many opportunities to be dishonest, but to tell you the truth, I would have lost my job rather than cheat or cover up things for others.  In fact, one time I quit a long-time job because my boss wanted me to watch certain people and report to her about things they did or said.  I went to the CEO and was told, “You can’t fight the system.”  I did the only honest thing I could – I quit.

A few years later I was working at a new position and was manager of my department.  I was extremely busy, but I also was receiving a lot of personal phone calls.  One day someone from another department said to me, “You sure are making a lot of personal phone calls.”  At first I was a little upset because it really wasn’t any of that person’s business what I was doing.  Then I got to thinking about it and realized I was being dishonest; I was stealing time from the company and getting paid for it.  I changed my way of doing that.

          2 Corinthians 1:12 says, “We are so glad that we can say with utter honesty that in all our dealings we have been pure and sincere, quietly depending upon the Lord for his help and not on our own skills.”   Notice it says, ‘in all our dealing’.  This means is whatever we do from cheating, stealing, or being deceitful.  It means to not even taking a pencil that doesn’t belong to you.  Remember in whatever you do – you are being watched.

         Way back in Old Testament times, the people were warned to “Be fearless in your stand for truth and honesty.”  2 Chronicles 19:11 Trust is a very important thing in life.  It’s important to have people trust you because they know you are honest.  Others who trust you bring promotion, success and prosperity.  I think of Abraham Lincoln, the 16^th. President, 1860, was called, ‘Honest Abe’ because he was honest in all he did; he never cheated and never lied.  To this day the name ‘Honest Abe’ is who he is known by. 

          Who would want to be remembered as liar, thief and cheater?  I would rather be remembered as someone who never lied to anyone; who never cheated anyone and who never took anything that didn’t belong to them. 

         Why do we remember Abraham in the Old Testament, because he was a ‘Friend of God’?   Why did God call him that?  “He was the only truly righteous man living on the earth at that time. He tried always to conduct his affairs according to God’s will.” Genesis 6:9 (TLB) Abraham was an honest man who obeyed God’s commands.  Dishonesty will get you nowhere, but honesty will take you everywhere.

            Be the example they can follow.  Your children watch you and they will do what they see you doing.