2 Kings 12:15 (TLB) – “No accounting was required from the construction
superintendents, for they were honest and faithful men”.
I remember as a child
going to the orchards in southwestern Michigan to pick apples and berries. Our
family might drive up on weekend mornings and make a whole day out of exploring
nature and picking the fresh fruit. On
some trips when we arrived the owners might be gone or about ready to leave and
they would set bushel barrels out for us to fill. When we finished our harvesting and were
ready to check out we simply packed the fruit into paper sacks, left the money
in a tin box on the table and left. It was
a time when people trusted their neighbor and their regular customers.
We live in a time now
when honesty is such a rarity it is hard to trust many to give a ‘square’ deal
of getting what you pay for, not to mention to be honest about money
exchange. In the scripture we are
reminded that the men in question had such a reputation for being upright and
honest that when work was done those responsible for contracting the work knew
that these men in particular could be trusted.
We need to live our
lives and be upfront, upright and just in our dealings with everyone so that we
too have a reputation to be trusted.
Recently a new friend told me that I was such a person; and that they
could rely not only upon my word but upon my actions. Most of us live in such a way to be
considered a good person; but to have someone who you are just getting to know actually
say that they see the spirit of God’s honesty upon you- well I was blessed and humbled. We all fall short of doing the right thing so
I know it is only the working of the Holy Spirit within us that allows us to
walk humbly before our God. Seek to be the best representative of God’s
goodness by telling the truth, dealing with people in an open and friendly
manner and not scheming to have your own interest always be the first thing
that you consider. With these parameters
Jesus taught us to love our neighbors as ourselves and that includes being honest
and standing by our word.
Every day is a good day;
it is up to us to make it a GREAT day. Be blessed! Dr. JoAnn
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