150 Sermon Illustrations on Honesty

“Put on your Sunday best.” Have you ever been so instructed? For that matter, have you ever given pause to ponder what underlies this oft-repeated paternal imperative?

No doubt, on the surface it is an encouragement to dress respectfully for Sunday worship. Of course, there is no harm in such intentions. But I think this imperative might also reveal something disturbing about our attitudes towards going to church. You see, it is not an uncommon attitude to think of church as the time and the place where we are at our best. Where we try to act and think like we suppose that we are expected to act, like good Christians at church.

In one sense, it is quite strange that we would think of church as the place where we need to try to be our best. Jesus said that he came to heal the sick. Ostensibly then, the church is composed of those who have realized that they are sick, sinly sick. Jesus' diagnosis of us is that we are deathly ill with sinfulness, and his prescription is the crucifixion. Yet here comes the amazing twist: he was crucified for our sickness, not us. The Great Physician administered the curative upon Himself, that we might live.

Church then ought to be the place where we can be most honest, most real, and most raw — for as Christians we already confess that we are sick, so sick that we deserve the damnation of God were it not for His grace. Yet often church tends to be a place where we deny the fallness of the world of our lives. And contrary to the gospel we pretend that we are already perfected. The gospel is a hope in a sin-scarred world. It is not a passage out of the world. Christians are those who have responded to Christ's call and are in the process of being transformed from dreadful sinners to humble servants of God. We have not been exempted from the trials or the temptations of our human nature, with its attendant sinful nature. The Christian life is training in how to defeat the power of that sinful nature. It is not an exemption from it.

Let us then put away pretensions to righteousness-obtained and rather gather in humility. Church is where we can come sick and gain healing. Let us not dress for church then with pretensions of goodness, but with humility. Next Sunday, put on your humble best.

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Copyright © 2003 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

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[original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #13290]

A man was contemplating stealing a thing, and he looked all

around to see if anyone was watching. A little child saw what he

was doing, and asked him, "Did you look up?"

Some where I have learned this incident: It is said that in some

Eastern countries when one king visits another and visits the prison

of that nation, he is permitted to celebrate the occasion by letting a

prisoner to go free. Before the French and German war, it is said that

the King of Germany visited France. Before going away, he visited a

prison, and as he was about to leave, he celebrated his privilege. He

said to the keeper, "Let out that prisoner." The door was unlocked and

he stepped out. "What are you in here for?" said the prince. "I was

put in, sir, for such and such a crime, but I never committed it." You

know there are not many guilty men in the State prison. "Lock up that

prisoner," said the prince.

He went to another cell. "Let out that prisoner. "What are you in

here for?" "Sir I was incarcerated for such and such a crime, but I am

innocent." "Lock him up." He went to the third cell, and asked that

the prisoner be let out. "What are you here for?" I was put in here

for such and such a crime, and I am guilty. I deserve more punishment

that my sentence requires." "Let that prisoner go free," said the

prince. That is the way that Jesus saves sinners. --Albert P. Graves

There is a time to speak and a time to keep quiet. There are things to tell and things no to tell. But it is an excellent rule to practice frankness in all dealings and associations with others, whether in business or socially. The frank person treads a firm bridge crossing a river, while the secretive person charily steps from stone to stone.

-- B.C. Forbes

While Susan was shopping at a variety store with her identical-twin

five-year-old daughters, the cashier enjoyed chatting with them.

Apparently they had distracted her, because she forgot to ring up some

perfume, as Susan discovered when she got home. She returned to the

store and, explaining the situation to the cashier, offered to pay for

the item. The cashier thanked and complimented Susan for her honesty,

then asked her for two photo ID's, a check guarantee card, credit card

and a driver's license.

Dad: Son, come here. We need to talk.

Son: What's up, Dad?

Dad: There's a scratch down the side of the car. Did you do it?

Son: I believe, if I correctly understand the definition of "scratch the car," that I didn't do it.

Dad: Well, it wasn't there yesterday, and you drove it last night, and no one else has driven it since. How can you explain the scratch?

Son: Well, as I've said before, I have no recollection of scratching the car. While it is true that I did take the car last night, I did not scratch it.

Dad: But your sister, Monica, told me she saw you back the car into the mailbox at the end of the driveway, heard a loud scraping sound, saw you get out to examine the car, and the drive away. So I'll ask you once again, yes or no, did you scratch the car?

Son: I don't agree with your contention that you have evidence to prove that I scratched the car. You see, I understand you to mean did "I" scratch the car. I stand by earlier statement, that I did not scratch the car.

Dad: Are you trying to tell me you didn't back the car into the mailbox?

Son: Well, I was trying to back the car into the street. I mishandled the steering and it resulted in direct contact with the mailbox, though that was clearly not my intent.

Dad: So you did hit the mailbox?

Son: No, sir, that's not my statement. I'll refer you back to my original statement that I did not scratch the car.

Dad: But the car did hit the mailbox and the car did get scratched as a result.

Son: Well, yes, I suppose you could look at it that way.

Dad: So you lied to me when you said you did not scratch the car?

Son: No, no, that's not correct. Your question was, Did I scratch the car. From a strict legal definition, as I understand the meaning of that sentence, I did not scratch the car; the mailbox did. I was merely present when the scratching occurred. So my answer of "No" when you asked did I scratch the car was legally correct, although I did not volunteer information.

----The American Enterprise, November/December 1998.

The word "sincere" comes from two Latin words meaning "without wax." Artificers of Middle Eastern countries fashioned highly expensive statuettes out of a very fine porcelain. It was of such fragile nature that extreme care had to be taken when firing the figurines to keep them from cracking.

Dishonest dealers would accept the cracked figurines at a much lower price and then fill the cracks with wax before offering them for sale. But honest merchants would display their uncracked porcelain wares with signs that read, "sine cera," "without wax."

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George M. Bowman, (Chicago: Moody Press, How to Succeed With Your Money, 1974). Contributed by Rev. Shelton Cole, http://www.sermon.org

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Another version from "Messages from the Masters," editor Jim Rohn, 11/4/02

BE A PERSON WHO PRACTICES NON-SITUATIONAL INTEGRITY by Denis Waitley

Integrity, a standard of personal morality and ethics, is not relative to the situation you happen to find yourself in and doesn't sell out to expediency. Its short supply is getting even shorter, but without it, leadership is a facade. Learning to see through exteriors is a critical development in the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Sadly, most people continue to be taken in by big talk and media popularity, flashy or bizarre looks, and expensive possessions. They move through most of their years convinced that the externals are what count, and are thus doomed to live shallow lives. Men and women who rely on their looks or status to feel good about themselves inevitably do everything they can to enhance the impression they make - and do correspondingly little to develop their inner value and personal growth. The paradox is that the people who try hardest to impress are often the least impressive. Puffing to appear powerful is an attempt to hide insecurity.

In the Roman Empire's final corrupt years, status was conveyed by the number of carved statues of the gods displayed in people's courtyards. As in every business, the Roman statue industry had good and bad sculptors and merchants. As the empire became ever more greedy and narcissistic, the bad got away with as much as they could. Sculptors became adept at using wax to hide cracks and chips in marble and most people couldn't discern the difference in quality.

Statues began to weep or melt under the scrutiny of sunlight or heat in foyers. For statues of authentic fine quality, carved by reputable artists, people had to go to the artisan marketplace in the Roman Quad and look for booths with signs declaring sine cera, which translates in English to mean, without wax. We, too, look for the real thing in friends, products, and services. In people, we value sincerity, from the words, sine cera, more than almost any other virtue. We expect it from our leaders, which we are not getting in our political, media, business and sports' heroes for the most part. We must demand it of ourselves.

Integrity that strengthens an inner value system is the real human bottom line. Commitment to a life of integrity in every situation demonstrates that your word is more valuable than a surety bond. It means you don't base your decisions on being politically correct. You do what's right, not fashionable. You know that truth is absolute, not a device for manipulating others. And you win in the long run, when the stakes are highest. If I were writing a single commandment for leadership it would be, "You shall conduct yourself in such a manner as to set an example worthy of imitation by your children and subordinates." In simpler terms, if they shouldn't be doing it, neither should you. I told my kids, "clean up your room," and they inspected the condition of my garage. I told them that honesty was our family's greatest virtue, and they commented on the radar detector I had installed in my car. When I told them about the vices of drinking and wild parties, they watched from the upstairs balcony, the way our guests behaved at our adult functions.

It's too bad some of our political and business leaders don't understand that "What you are speaks so loudly that no one really pays attention to what you say." But it is even more true that if what you are matches what you say; your life will speak forcefully indeed.

It's hardly a secret that learning ethical standards begins at home. A child's first inklings of a sense of right and wrong come from almost imperceptible signals received long before he or she reaches the age of rational thought about morality. Maybe you're asking yourself what kind of model you are for future generations, remembering that people are either honest or dishonest, that integrity is all or nothing, and that children can't be fooled in such basic matters. They learn by example.

To remind myself of my responsibility to live without wax, with sincerity and integrity, I took the liberty of re-writing Edgar A. Guest's poem, "Sermons We See" to apply to setting an example as a real winner for my children and grandchildren.

I'd rather watch a winner, than hear one any day.

I'd rather have one walk with me, than merely show the way.

The eye's a better pupil and more willing than the ear.

Fine counsel is confusing, but examples are always clear.

And the best of all the coaches are the ones who live their deeds.

For to see the truth in action is what everybody needs.

I can soon learn how to do it, if you'll let me see it done.

I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.

And the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true.

But, I'd rather get my lessons by observing what you do.

For I may misunderstand you and the high advice you give.

But there's no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

I'd rather watch a winner, than hear one any day.

Hey, politician, business leader, motion picture producer, television actor, rock star, sports star. Hey mom, hey dad. Don't tell me how to live. Show me by your actions. You're my role models.

Action Idea: When you talk to others, beginning right now, don't try to impress them by talking about your accomplishments. Let your actions speak for you. Ask more questions.

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Another version from SermonCentral.com:

In the Greek original of the New Testament the word often translated ‘sincere’ means ‘judged in the sunlight’; and the English word is derived from the Latin:’sine cera’, which means ‘without wax’. In the days when art flourished in ancient Greece, it was the common practice to repair with ‘invisible’ wax any vase or statue that had, as a result of carelessness or misadventure, been damaged.

A rich man or a person of high rank might employ a sculptor to chisel his bust in marble. Sometimes, if the chisel slipped, the end of the nose would be chipped off. Rather than go to the trouble of making a new bust, the sculptor would mend the features with wax so that the flaws could not be detected unless by very close scrutiny, and he could palm off on the customer his defective workmanship.

If the client happened to be a knowing person, he would carry the finished statuette out of the studio into the open before paying for it, and examine it carefully in the sunlight: otherwise in the course of time, he would have the chagrin of seeing the nose drop off his statuette in the heated room of his house. The statue was not ‘sincere’, not ‘without wax’, and could not bear careful scrutiny in the sunlight.

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Source: A. Naismith, 1200 Notes, Quotes and Anecdotes. Great Britain: Pickering Paperbacks, 1998, p. 185. Contributed by John Williams III.

T R U T H (2 Corinthians 13:8) -----------------------------------------------------------------------

--------- The percentage of adults who say the most important thing they learned from their father was: Always tell the truth: 33 Importance of saving: 14 How to drive a car: 6 How to negotiate: 5 Marry for love: 4 How to play sports: 3 How to change a tire: 3

USA Today (6/19/98)

Comedian Milton Berle made a living doing it. Historian Stephen E. Ambrose had to admit he had done it. And millions and millions of people do it via e-mail every day.

Plagiarism is the literary term for it -- using someone else's material but passing it off as your own.

Berle said he never told an original joke, because he always stole them from other comedians. Most believe he was a brilliant comedian who just used "stealing jokes" as his lifelong stick.

However, Ambrose recently had to publicly admit he had used material from another historian and failed to acknowledge credit. This was only after numerous stories in newspapers and on the nightly television news.

As for those who use the Internet and communicate by e-mail, many are guilty of forwarding material they "copy," or just right-clicking and copying that photograph or clipart from a website.

Late last year Piper High School teacher Christine Pelton gave her students an assignment on a botany project.

The researching is where the problem began. When students turned in their projects, Pelton discovered 28 of 118 students had taken large amounts of their reports verbatim from the Internet and not referenced the source.

Pelton used an online service that allows teachers to check papers for plagiarism. The Kansas teacher gave those 28 sophomores a zero for the project.

Parents and school board members became outraged, demanding the students receive a better grade. They justified that the students' copying was innocent because they were unaware it was stealing. Other parents insisted the failing grades would diminish their children's chances of getting into a good college.

Early in February the school board voted and directed the students' grades be raised, despite the objections of Pelton, her principal and the school district's superintendent.

Pelton took it one step further and chose to resign in protest.

In a somewhat related action, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to look at copyright protections to see if Congress has gone too far in preserving the rights of authors and musicians.

Societal habits tend to creep into the life of the church. Plagiarism is commonplace on Sunday mornings. Not all pastors and teachers do it, but many do.

They tell a story, sometimes making it sound like it happened to them, when it really happened to Rick Warren or Charles Stanley, never once letting on where they retrieved the touching story that brought a tear to the congregation's eyes.

Just a reference. Just a moment telling where the illustration or statistic originated will give credence.

George Barna in a recent study he found that, "By a 3-to-1 margin (64% vs. 22%) adults said truth is always relative to the person and their situation. The perspective was even more lopsided among teenagers, 83% of whom said moral truth depends on the circumstances, and only 6% of whom said moral truth is absolute."

Jesus made it quite clear in the Sermon on the Mount. "But let your word 'yes' be 'yes,' and your 'no' be 'no.' Anything more than this is from the evil one" (Matthew 5:37).

Is our yes, yes? If not, how will those who do not know Christ see any difference in our lives? Pledge to be faithful. Keep your word. Make them your words, not anyone else's.

There was a young Christian man in a southern university. He made the football team as the starting split end. And he continually was before God saying, “Help me in the climax of moments to be absolutely honest. I pray for honesty -- that one mark of integrity. I want to be that, Lord, and I'll work on it through the season.”

The rival team came that night, homecoming. He ran his route and went into the end zone. The quarterback shot him the pass and he got it low. He landed on it, and the referee shouted, “Touchdown!” But that boy knew he had trapped the ball. (For you who aren't into that, it means that he didn't really catch it. He landed on it while it was on the ground and it looked like he caught it). The stands were just cheering, you know, sending him on his way, the hero of the game. He said, “Wait a minute.” Can you imagine this?: Walked up to the referee and shook his head. He said, “I trapped it.” The referee canceled the touchdown and they lost the game.

Now you may not understand much about football, but you know what it is to be a fan. And that boy stood all alone, not only against a team that said, “What does it matter, man?” but against the stands full of people. He said, “I can't take the credit. I did not catch it.”

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The Tale Of The Tardy Oxcart

Charles R. Swindoll, Word, p. 304.

Evangelist Franklin Graham is not backing away from his statements aired on a national news program that Islam is "wicked, violent and not of the same god."

Graham initially made the remarks in an interview at the October dedication of a chapel in Wilkesboro, N.C.; the remarks were broadcast by NBC News Nov. 16.

"I don't believe this is a wonderful, peaceful religion," Graham said. "When you read the Koran and you read the verses from the Koran, it instructs the killing of the infidel, for those that are non-Muslim."

Asked by NBC News to clarify his statement, Graham stood his ground.

"It wasn't Methodists flying into those buildings, it wasn't Lutherans," Graham told NBC. "It was an attack on this country by people of the Islamic faith."

NBC News released the Graham interview on the first day of Ramadan, the holiest season of the Muslim year and it has drawn fire from Muslims as well as the White House.

A spokesperson for the White House noted that President Bush "views Islam as a religion that preaches peace," and that the terrorists do not represent what Islam teaches.

Regardless, in a Nov. 18 statement, Graham said he stood by his earlier comments.

"As a Christian minister, my calling and focus is to proclaim the God of the Christian faith to all who will listen and hear, and to love all people regardless of their faith," Graham said. "It is not my calling to analyze Islam or any other religions though I recognize that all religions have differences. In the past, I have expressed my concerns about the teachings of Islam regarding the treatment of women and the killing of non-Muslims or infidels. I do not intend to comment further."

Graham's response came one day after his ministry's Operation Christmas Child began processing 1 million shoeboxes of toys, school supplies and personal hygiene items for needy children overseas, including thousands destined for many Muslim nations.

"As the leader of an international Christian relief organization, my calling is to provide food, clothing, housing, supplies and medical care to hurting people everywhere regardless of faith," Graham said. "Samaritan's Purse has provided more relief and aid to Muslim people than to any other people in the world -- support amounting to tens of millions of dollars in places like Bosnia, Kosovo, Lebanon, Sudan and Afghanistan. As America continues its healing process, I am encouraged by a national surge of faith. I pray that out of tragedy and pain, millions of people will find a renewal of faith."

--30-

Scarcely a week goes by without a news report about the absurd things kids can study for credit at American colleges and universities. As the dad of two college students, I'm particularly disturbed by these reports. But as a recent report tells us, what should trouble us most is what college students aren't studying.

The report was released by the National Association of Scholars who surveyed a random sample of graduating seniors about what they had learned in college about ethics and morals in the workplace. Their answers make it clear that we can expect more, not fewer, corporate scandals in the coming years.

Nearly all the respondents said that college had prepared them ethically for their professional lives. That sounds good until you understand what they meant by "ethically." Three quarters reported that they had been taught that "what is right and wrong depends on differences in individual values and cultural diversity ..." New graduates cited "recruiting a diverse workforce in which women and minorities are advanced and promoted" as business's top ethical priority.

By contrast, "providing clear and accurate business statements to stockholders and creditors" lagged far behind. What's more, honesty and transparency barely outpolled "minimizing environmental pollution by adopting the latest anti-pollution technology and complying with government regulations."

To be fair, "clear and accurate business statements" was the top choice for students going into business. But even among these students, nearly six in ten chose something besides honesty as their top ethical priority.

No wonder we hear about companies cooking the books! While a diverse workplace is desirable, how can anyone seriously believe that it's more important than telling shareholders the truth?

It should surprise no one that businesspeople who are taught that there are no moral absolutes will cheat and will cut corners. That's why NAS president Stephen Balch is absolutely right when he points to a link between the poll results and "the ethical laxness behind the recent scandals ..."

What is surprising is that many people, especially our educated elites, can't or won't see the connection.

Shortly before the NAS report was released, the WASHINGTON POST called attempts to stem the tide of corporate scandals through appeals to conscience "naïve." Instead, the POST called for more legislation and government regulation as if people taught to believe that there is no right and wrong will find it difficult to get around the newly passed laws and regulations.

That's why there's no substitute for teaching a belief in moral absolutes. This is the surest safeguard against the kind of wrongdoing we have witnessed these past few months.

This starts at home. But schools -- from elementary through graduate -- also have a role to play. As Balch tells us, these institutions can confirm the values and beliefs that students bring to the campus, or they can undermine these values and provide students with "sophisticated excuses for succumbing to the temptations of greed and power" -- excuses that will, in time, bring on the next round of corporate scandals.

FURTHER READING & INFORMATION

"NAS/Zogby Poll Reveals American Colleges Are Teaching Dubious Ethical Lessons," National Association of Scholars press release, 2 July 2002. http://www.nas.org/print/pressreleases/hqnas/releas_02jul02.htm

"Ethics, Enron, and American Higher Education: An NAS/Zogby Poll of College Seniors," National Association of Scholars report, July 2002. http://www.nas.org/reports/zogethics_poll/zogby_ethics_report.htm

Charles Colson, "Law Isn't Enough," THE WASHINGTON POST, 30 July 2002. http://www.breakpoint.org/Breakpoint/ChannelRoot/Miscellaneous/Law+Isn%27t+Enough.htm

BreakPoint commentary no. 020715, "Law and Naïveté: The POST Gets It Wrong." http://www.breakpoint.org/Breakpoint/ChannelRoot/FeaturesGroup/BreakPointCommentaries/Law+and+Naivete.htm

"Capitalism and Conscience," editorial, THE WASHINGTON POST, 10 July 2002, A16. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46959-2002Jul9.html

BreakPoint commentary no. 020708, "Cooking the Books: The Accounting Scandal in Corporate America." http://www.breakpoint.org/Breakpoint/ChannelRoot/FeaturesGroup/BreakPointCommentaries/Cooking+the+Books.htm

Chuck Colson, "A Time to Learn about Ethics," remarks before Harvard Business School on developing a personal code of ethics. http://www.pfmonline.net/products.taf?_function=d&IC=02017

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Copyright © 2002 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. "BreakPoint with Chuck Colson" is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries.

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Honesty/Life/Time

A lawyer dies in a car accident on his 40th birthday and finds himself greeted at the Pearly Gates by a brass band. Saint Peter runs over, shakes his hand and says "Congratulations!!!"

"Congratulations for what?" asks the lawyer.

"Congratulations for what?!?!?" says Saint Peter. "We're celebrating the fact that you lived to be 160 years old."

"But that's not true," says the lawyer. "I only lived to be forty."

"That's impossible," says Saint Peter. "We've added up your time sheets."

An emperor in the Far East was growing old and knew it was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his children, he decided to do something different. He called young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, “It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you.” The children were shocked, but the emperor continued. “I am going to give each one of you a seed today — one very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor.”

One boy, named Ling, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it, carefully. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by. Still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Ling didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure. Six months went by — still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling didn't say anything to his friends, however. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection. Ling told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But his mother asked him to be honest about what happened.

Ling felt sick at his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful — in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other children laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, “Hey, nice try.” When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. “My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown,” said the emperor. “Today one of you will be appointed the next emperor!” All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. He thought, “The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!”

When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. “My name is Ling,” he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, “Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!” Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor?

Then the emperor said, “One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds that would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!”

What we need transplanted into us are hearts like Ling's. Honest and courageous hearts that drive our spiritual centers, that operate the rest of our parts. The emperor was wise to look at the hearts and not the parts. And that is exactly where Jesus is looking when he looks at us, when he is looking to see who it is that will carry on his kingdom’s work.

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[Original illustration at this number was a dupliate of HolwickID #1841]

Some time ago, an article in National Racquetball Magazine told the story of Reuben Gonzales, who was in the final match of a professional racquetball tournament. It was Gonzales' first shot at a victory on the pro circuit, and he was playing the perennial champion.

In the fourth and final game, at match point, Gonzales made a super "kill" shot into the front wall to win it all. The referee called it good. One of the two linesmen affirmed that the shot was in. But Gonzales, after a moment's hesitation, turned around, shook his opponent's hand, and declared that his shot had "slapped" into the wall, hitting the court floor first. As a result, he lost the match. He walked off the court. Everybody was stunned.

The next issue of National Racquetball Magazine displayed Reuben Gonzales on its front cover. The story searched for an explanation of this first-ever occurrence on the professional racquetball circuit.

Who could ever imagine it in any sport or endeavor? A player, with everything officially in his favor, with victory in his hand, disqualified himself at match point and lost!

When asked why he did it, Reuben said, "It was the only thing I could do to maintain my integrity."

By Denis Waitley, Being the Best

Source: Bits & Pieces, October 12, 1995, Copyright (c) Economic Press, Inc., www.epinc.com

Honesty is something you can’t wear out. — Waylon Jennings

Honesty is like an icicle; once it melts, that’s the end of it.

The number of Americans who believe it's OK to cheat “a little here and there” on taxes has risen 50 percent in the past 4 years.

Of the 1,024 taxpayers surveyed in July, 12 percent responded that it was acceptable to cheat a little when filing income taxes. Only 8 percent felt that way in the same survey for 1999.

An additional group who said taxpayers should cheat “as much as possible” also went up, from 3 percent to 5 percent.

The IRS Oversight Board survey concluded that most people pay the taxes they owe out of a sense of personal integrity. But the fear of an audit increased sharply this year as a motivation among taxpayers - from 8 to 37 percent, the survey says.

I am so thankful about the honest portrayal of Jesus' disciples. I can see myself in them and know that God uses people like me. Maybe you're not like most of us who sometimes panic when we feel overwhelmed. Fortunately for us, the early followers of Jesus did have bouts with panic and fear just like we do. In their fear, they don't pretend to have everything under control. They don't puff out their chest with false bravado and act like they can handle the situation. Even though their honesty leads to a rebuke, it also leads to a miracle! Why? Because they are willing to go honestly to their Savior with their fears. They have much to learn ... and he will teach them. They also have much to lose ... and he will protect them.

What are you holding back in your conversation with the Savior? What has you panicked, afraid, or anxious that you have not fully shared with the Lord? Storms come and go, but only the Lord stands the test of time. Be real about your fears and anxieties and let him care for you. Yes, he will challenge you to greater faith. But that's the point isn't it? That in our weakness he calls us to himself and offers us grace.

TODAY'S PRAYER:

Father, I confess to you now the burdens of my heart, knowing that you will hear them and do what is best for me. In Jesus name. Amen.

Glen Garrett, 66, a banker in Purdy, Missouri, has spent about $1 million in legal fees through 1998 [later to rise to $2 million] to fight federal regulators. They had fined him because he wouldn't stop doing business as his father had taught him, that is, by handshake, rather than by the required, formal paperwork. In one paperless deal, Garrett hired himself to construct a bank building, but that upset the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation because there were no competitive bids. An independent appraiser later said that Garrett built the bank for about $300,000 less than the market price.

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Springfield Business Journal, March 30, 1998

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Related article: http://www.truthinjustice.org/bankonfear.htm

BANKING ON FEAR, by Terry Carter

A poster-sized copy of the smoking-gun document from eight years ago leans against the wall in one corner of Glen Garrett's office. He is chairman and owner of First State Bank in Monett, Missouri. He keeps the trial exhibit around to show that even in the 1990s, David can still beat Goliath -- if he has the resolve and resources.

It's an odd trophy, considering that Garrett can't read or write. He did, though, serve 19 years as chairman of the nearby Purdy school board. He has someone read important papers to him privately before signing off on them. And more than a few, like this one, he easily memorizes.

The single page is a laundry list of Garrett's alleged wrongdoings, given to a state bank examiner by a competitor faced with the expansion of Garrett's bank. None of it would pan out, but when passed along to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the FDIC launched an investigation that the 67-year-old businessman says chewed up 12 percent of his life -- Garrett is keen with figures. And he can read people. And deals. And business matters. He wishes those city slickers from Kansas City and Washington, D.C., could read plain-old country h-o-n-e-s-t-y. Reputation is important enough to Garrett that, as a matter of principle, he spent more than $2 million in his battle to keep from paying the FDIC a comparatively paltry $25,000 civil money penalty.

He said all along he did no wrong and would make no such admission. Ultimately Garrett won his battle with the FDIC -- albeit a settlement last March that calls for no penalty, just his agreement to adhere to a technical lending regulation that experts say didn't apply at the time, anyway. [In the Matter of Glen Garrett, FDIC-94141k; FDIC-99-032B]

Though the FDIC spent millions of dollars before finally walking away empty-handed from the Glen Garrett matter, the agency portrayed itself as settling its eight-year pursuit out of expediency. “If [defendants] have the resources to engage in a protracted process, they can stretch it out for a considerable period of time,” FDIC spokes-man Stephen Katsanos told a Joplin, Missouri, newspaper.

Garrett's lawyer, Stephens B. Woodrough of Tampa, Fla., who spent 25 years as an FDIC attorney, interprets the settlement document itself: “There is no finding of any wrongdoing in this, and it doesn't prohibit him from doing anything in the future, which makes it the most unusual cease-and-desist order ever entered with the FDIC. There's nothing about ceasing or desisting anything.”

[...]

“I don't blame them for taking that first look at me,” says Glen Garrett, the blue-jeaned banker in small-town Missouri.

“But there came a time early on when they knew better. And they didn't stop.”

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Terry Carter is a reporter for the ABA Journal. Copyright American Bar Association.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). That means truth is very important, especially for those of us who are Christians.

We often must decide whether we will handle money honestly in our business and daily lives. Did you tell the shopkeeper when he or she gave more change than what you should have received? Have you ever sold something and been tempted not to tell the whole truth, because you might have lost the sale?

You probably made a choice today about truth and honesty. Sometimes these decisions are difficult, because everyone around us seems to be acting dishonestly. There are hundreds of verses in the Bible that communicate the Lord's desire for us to be completely honest.

For example, Leviticus 19:11 says, “You must not steal. You must not act deceptively or lie to one another.” And Proverbs 6:16-17 says, “The Lord hates ... a lying tongue.”

It is especially important for leaders to be honest, because leaders influence those under them. Parents, as leaders in their homes, must be good examples of honesty to their children. The influence of a dishonest leader produces dishonest followers. The Bible says in Proverbs 29:12, “If a ruler listens to lies, all his servants will be wicked.”

So, church leaders, business owners and parents must set the example of honesty. If a leader isn't honest, how can we expect those under his or her authority to live honestly?

Many Christians are unable to claim God's promises in their lives, because they aren't willing to meet His prerequisites. First John 3:21-22 explains that God answers our prayers when we do the things that are pleasing in His sight and keep His commandments.

Few scriptural principles are clearer than that of honesty in such things as keeping our vows –- literally keeping our word both to God and to others. Ecclesiastes 5:5 says, “Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it.” The term appears many places in the Bible and refers to a promise or pledge. The emphasis is that such promises are binding and when we give our word to do something, we are obligated to do it!

Jesus clearly indicates that everyone will be accountable for their words and actions on Judgment Day. “I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak” (Matthew 12:36).

Unfortunately, our society is built on the expectation that few people will keep their word. Often a vow is seen as nothing more than something made under one set of circumstances and then broken under another. Before you agree to any terms, carefully consider all consequences associated with that commitment.

Often, people keep the vows that are to their advantage and break those that are not. For example: a product is purchased, but when that product loses its value or use to the individual, they ignore their vow to pay a creditor. A common attitude is, “If my marriage does not succeed as I want it to, I can always get a divorce.” The original conditions under which promises are made may change, and one partner may begin to think he or she did not get a good arrangement. But Jesus said that broken vows will be accounted for on Judgment Day.

In a world of situational ethics, even many of God's people have lost the concept of absolutes when it comes to keeping their word. In the past, vows were a commitment of a person's honor and handshakes often sealed agreements. Honorable people wouldn't default even if it cost them material wealth, because their reputations were far more important than material gain.

Honesty is more than simply not telling lies; it includes being reliable to fulfill promises made –- that's loyalty. For Christians, loyalty is not simply something directed to their families or to customers. Our loyalty as Christians is to be to God and His Word.

Proverbs 20:6 says, “Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy man?” Christian, that trustworthy person should be you. If loyalty to God is sustained, then loyalty to others will be a natural part of your life, and you'll be known as a trustworthy man or woman.

A Christian who backs down on vows made in good faith has forgotten whom he or she is serving. Jesus said, “No one can be a slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money” (Matthew 6:24).

When you dishonor agreements, vows or promises in order to gain some advantage, you become the real loser, because whatever may have been gained will never replace your lost integrity.

If you honor God by being totally honest, you may experience some losses and even be misused by others, at least in the short run. However, God compensates losses in many ways for those who keep their vows –- not the least of which is His supernatural peace.

Remember that Psalm 37:21 says, “The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous is gracious and giving.”

If you truly trust God, then defend that trust by honoring your vows –- regardless! Make it a practice to pray before you commit to anything, and consider all the problems that could arise. As a Christian you are bound by the words of your mouth, so be careful about what you promise, and keep your word.

God's guidebook for Christians living in this world is the Bible, and in Luke 16:11 God says that if we will not respond correctly with such a relatively trivial thing as money, why should He entrust us with any greater possessions?

God places us in this world not only to witness to the unsaved, but also to refine our relationship with Him. And the way you handle money and treat others where a profit or loss is concerned, exposes a clear reflection of your value system, and your relationship with God.

Others may take advantage of your honesty, because often there is a price to be paid for following Christ. But remember, there also is great reward for doing so. Every Christian needs to come to the place where the approval of God is more important than the riches of the world. Only then will the full measure of the peace and power of God be experienced. “But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

How about you? Do others know you as an honest person that they can depend on, because you are a person of integrity? Evaluate the eternal impact you are having on those around you.

Are most people honest with other people's money?

Reporters went to six different cities in the United States and dropped in each city ten envelopes, each with two one-dollar bills sticking out of them. Each envelope was addressed and stamped, but left unsealed. Inside was a note saying, “Dear John: Here's the $2 I owe you. Thanks a lot. Tom.”

Of the 60 envelopes, 40 (67%) were picked up and mailed to the address on the front, which was the home of one of the reporters.

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Source: Climbing Jacob's Ladder, by Jeanne Larson & Ruth McLin, Copyright 1979 by Review and Herald Publishing Association

Jesus wasn’t afraid to show His emotions. He wept when Lazarus died. He shed tears over Jerusalem. He raged against hypocrites and moneychangers defiling His Father’s house.

But Jesus based His life and teaching on something firmer than feeling: The truth as revealed by the Word of God. And He didn’t hesitate to make this absolute declaration of truth: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

You will know the truth, Jesus also said, and it will make you free (John 8:32). But what is truth? Pontius Pilate’s famous question seems to have as many answers as there are people nowadays.

If you watch “Oprah” and follow bestseller lists, you’ve probably heard all about the uproar over “A Million Little Pieces.” That’s the title of a “memoir” by writer James Frey about his alleged criminal career and bizarre misadventures. With a push from superstar Oprah Winfrey –- now the most powerful force in American book publishing -– it has sold more than 3.5 million copies, and was second only to the latest “Harry Potter” book among 2005 bestsellers.

The trouble started when “Smoking Gun,” an investigative website, reported about a million little fabrications in “A Million Little Pieces.” The site exposed whole sections of the book as wildly exaggerated or outright fiction. At first Oprah defended Frey. Later, to her credit, she apologized to her millions of fans for presenting the book as factual –- and lambasted Frey on her show.

“A Million Little Pieces” is far from the first autobiography to play fast and loose with facts. The whole episode would be a minor literary sideshow if not for the huge public visibility Oprah gives everything she touches.

But this incident also illustrates the sad state of “truth” in America. Everything is now open to acceptance or dispute. Almost everybody, it seems, feels qualified to declare what is true, regardless of the facts. If it feels right, if it’s declared loudly or entertainingly enough, then hey, it’s the truth –- even if it’s only my truth. Your truth is your business.

“Feels” is a key word here. Oprah, despite taking the high road this time, has done as much as anyone to create the market for gut-wrenching “memoirs.” In Oprah culture, if it “feels” true, it must be true.

Politicians, phony academics, purveyors of “reality television” and other masters of distortion contribute to the confusion. Much of TV news has morphed into entertainment. Many news “consumers” access only websites or e-news services that tell them exactly what they want to hear. Several million young adults claim their primary news source is Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” a program that reports “phony news” for satirical purposes. It’s entertainment, but an amazing number of people believe it.

Washington Times columnist Suzanne Fields calls this phenomenon the triumph of “truthiness” -– a word coined, appropriately, by mock pundit Stephen Colbert of “The Daily Show.”

“Truthiness” is what sincere people “conclude with their hearts, not their heads,” Fields explains. “Much that passes for fact in textbooks and in the media is really about truthiness, not truth.”

Basically, “truthiness” is emotional relativism. Among its most gullible victims are young people. Numerous studies show that many students, even at the college level, lack critical thinking skills, cannot identify the most basic events of recent history –- much less past generations –- and cannot distinguish between fact and fiction.

But “truthiness” often afflicts another target: the church. Yes, the Gospel of truth must be embraced by faith. But it’s built upon a rock-solid biblical foundation that has withstood the storms of ages. Too often, we undermine that foundation through neglect and mushy theology.

“Modern evangelicalism puts undue weight on experience,” Christian commentator Chuck Colson recently observed. “If somebody lacks a personal testimony -– and the more dramatic the better –- he is made to feel like a second-class believer.

“This heavy reliance on feelings carries over (to) discipleship and worship.... This is all to the good when it results in people making a personal commitment to Jesus. But it can be dangerous when that is all there is. Doctrine may be seen as abstract and inaccessible because it seems unrelated to personal experience.”

Yet the church stands or falls on the great doctrines of the Bible. God’s supremacy and love. His righteousness and man’s utter lostness in sin. His exclusive offer of salvation by faith through Jesus Christ alone. His command to declare His glory and make disciples among all nations.

If some of those doctrines sound too stern, too “judgmental” to touchy-feely believers, what then?

R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., warns that the American evangelical church “seems to be losing its voice” just as the opportunity to declare the Gospel worldwide is greater than ever.

“At base, the issue is a failure of theological nerve -– a devastating loss of biblical and doctrinal conviction,” Mohler says. “Put bluntly, many who claim to be Christians simply do not believe that anyone is actually lost.”

This view, which is being quietly, often unconsciously adopted by more and more churchgoers, is anything but compassionate, Mohler adds. These believers sleep soundly only “because their conscience is uncluttered by concern for the lost.”

If no one is lost, we have no business preaching the Gospel. If no one is lost, we have no business asking our best and brightest to leave their homes and sacrifice their comforts to be missionaries. If no one is lost, we have no right to ask someone to follow Christ who may lose his or her life as a result.

But people are lost. They do need a Savior. God loves them. And He tells us to declare His name and make disciples to the ends of the earth.

That’s not “truthiness.” That’s the truth.

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William Fogarty doesn't understand the fuss. He just forgot to pay a parking ticket. When he finally realized it, the 86-year-old retiree made good and mailed in a money order, to pay a $1 ticket he got 60 years ago.

Fogarty got the ticket in Norfolk, Virginia, in May 1946. Soon after, he bought a $1 money order to pay the fine but forgot to send it in. About a month ago, as he was looking through a box of collectibles from his Navy days, Fogarty discovered a wallet with the money order inside.

So he wrote a letter to the Norfolk Police Department and included the money order.

“At my age, when I go out of here, I don't want to owe anyone a dime,” he told the St. Petersburg Times.

Fogarty's money order will not be cashed, Norfolk police Officer Chris Amos said. Instead, it will be framed and displayed in the department's museum.

“It's one of those restoring your faith in mankind things,” Amos said.

Herndon, Abraham Lincoln’s law partner, relates an instance of Lincoln’s honesty and his horror of a lie. Herndon drew up a dilatory plea for the purpose of delaying a case. When it came to Lincoln, he asked, “Is this founded on fact?”

When told it was merely to save their client, Lincoln replied, “You know it is a sham, and a sham is very often but another name for a lie. Don’t let it go on record. The cursed thing may come staring us in the face long after this suit is forgotten.”

By H. S. Prenier, January 1943

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H. S. Prenier, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, January 1943, Copyright (c) 1943, Pacific Press, http://www.signstimes.com

Reports of apparent lies by NBC News anchor Brian Williams and President Obama have highlighted the prevalence of dishonesty among Americans as well as the dismissive attitude many have toward it. But the Bible portrays lying as a violation of God’s intended order for the universe -- with consequences as real as those that come from failed attempts to violate the laws of physics or medical science.

Williams is a prime example. He was suspended by NBC for six months after an internal investigation uncovered multiple “instances of exaggeration” in the veteran journalist’s reporting, including the false statement that he was riding on a military helicopter hit by a rocket-propelled grenade during the Iraq war, the Washington Post reported.

Obama made headlines when his former adviser David Axelrod claimed in a book released Feb. 10, 2015, that the president lied about his support for same-sex marriage during the 2008 election cycle. As an Illinois state senate candidate in 1996, Obama stated on a questionnaire, “I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, and would fight efforts to prohibit such marriages,” TIME reported. But Obama said during his first presidential campaign that he only supported civil unions and believed marriage “is the union between a man and a woman.”

Axelrod claimed the lie was an attempt not to offend voters in black churches. Obama countered in an interview published Feb. 10 that he did not lie but was “struggling” to balance between “people’s rights” and “religious sensitivities,” Politico reported. Obama officially endorsed gay marriage in 2012.

A 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll released last year suggests Obama and Williams are not alone in their struggle to tell the truth. Only 56 percent of Americans surveyed said a person “should always tell the truth under every circumstance.” The top three areas about which Americans are tempted to lie are their past, their salary and their age, according to the poll.

So if most everyone is doing it, is lying really that big of a deal? In short, yes.

Of course, Christian ethicists disagree about whether it is morally acceptable to lie in extreme circumstances. For example, were people in Nazi Germany justified in lying to the Gestapo about hiding Jews in their homes? Was Rahab sinning when she lied about the Israelite spies to the king of Jericho’s messengers (Joshua 2:4-5)? And no one is suggesting a moral obligation to reveal everything we know in every circumstance. But Scripture is clear that the relaying of false information under normal circumstances is a sin with real consequences -- even when it is a “white lie” or one intended to protect the fibber.

Honesty is of primary importance in Scripture, first of all, because truthfulness is an attribute of God. The Old Testament teaches that God is incapable of lying (Numbers 23:19), and Jesus said He is “the truth” (John 14:6). God codified the importance of truth-telling for humans in the ninth commandment (Exodus 20:16) as a way of ordering human interactions to reflect His holy character.

When the Lord disciplines those who lie, it is not an arbitrary hand slap doled out by a capricious deity. It is the attempt of a loving Lord to align His creatures with what is best for them and purge the world of what is objectively evil. Lies have consequences.

In Genesis 3, the serpent’s lie led to the ruin of God’s good creation. Abraham’s lie about Sarah being his sister once led to plagues on the Egyptians (Genesis 12:17) and on another occasion to the near death of Abimelech and his subjects (Genesis 20:7). A similar lie by Isaac about his wife Rebekah threatened to undo Abimelech’s kingdom again a generation later (Genesis 26:6-11).

Jacob’s notorious deception stole his father’s blessing from Esau and led to years of strife between the two brothers as well as their descendants (Genesis 27:1-29). The deception of Joseph’s brothers concerning his death led to prolonged grief in their family (Genesis 37:29-35).

When Israel was established as a nation, God included numerous provisions about honesty in its laws. The nation’s eventual exile from the Promised Land was partly due to its dishonesty (Isaiah 59:4).

In the New Testament, Peter’s dishonesty led to shame (Mark 14:66-72) and that of Ananias and Sapphira to death (Acts 5:1-11). At the end of time, the “father of lies” will be cast into a lake of fire along with the “false prophet” and “all liars” who have refused to repent (Revelation 20:10; 21:8; John 8:44).

While all of us have been liars at some point (Romans 3:13), we don’t have to continue such behavior. There is grace and forgiveness in Christ -- as well as increasing relief from the consequences of lying the longer we practice honesty. Yet persisting in dishonesty yields a painful harvest. Just ask Brian Williams.

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Quran: lying allowed to protect Muslims

Contrary to the Bible’s persistent emphasis on honesty, adherents of Islam believe the Quran permits lying in order to prevent death or injury to Muslims.

Known as “taqiyya,” the practice of lying in the name of Islam is based in part on chapter 16, verse 106 of the Quran: “Anyone who, after accepting faith in Allah, utters unbelief under compulsion, his heart remaining firm in Faith shall be absolved -- but such as open their breast to unbelief -- on them is wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a dreadful penalty.”

Though most often associated with Shiite Muslims, Sunnis have practiced taqiyya as well. Sunnis and Shiites differ over who should be Muhammad’s successor as the caliph, or ruler, of the Islamic community.

“Over time, pro-Shi’i movements used taqiyah [an alternate spelling] to hide revolutionary activities,” according to the Oxford Islamic Studies website. “Taqiyah became a widely accepted practice, and in the 900s, Ibn Babawayh, a prominent Shi’i authority, declared it to be a religious obligation. Some scholars, however, voiced concerns about the danger of following a policy of deceit. They argued that taqiyah permits Shi’is to say anything and make any claim, and therefore, their words are not trustworthy. As a result, Shi’i scholars created rules for the use of taqiyah.”

Taqiyya has been advocated by both medieval and modern Muslims. In the seventh century, Muhammad’s son-in-law Ali temporarily accepted the rule of his rivals following Muhammad’s death even though he believed himself the legitimate heir to Muhammad’s authority. Ali’s pledge of loyalty to his opponents was actually a strategic maneuver to preserve his movement until he saw an opportune moment to seize power. Sunnis view Ali’s action as one basis for taqiyya.

In the 1980s, Islamic writer Afif Tabbarah stated in his book “The Spirit of Islam,” “Lying is not always bad, to be sure; there are times when telling a lie is more profitable and better for the general welfare, and for the settlement of conciliation among people, than telling the truth.”

Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and former Palestinian leader Yasser Afafat all practiced taqiyya in their dealings with the international community, some Islam experts say.

Hussein was known to break promises to U.N. weapons inspectors, and Ahmadinejad said Iran’s uranium enrichment projects were for peaceful purposes although western leaders suspected that was a lie.

In 1994, Afafat said in a Johannesburg mosque, “The jihad will continue, and Jerusalem is not for the Palestinian people. It is for all the Muslim nation.” When questioned by journalists, Arafat said he was merely using the term “jihad” to call Muslims to be more devout in their faith.

Although Muslim scholars have identified situations in which they believe it is acceptable to practice taqiyya, “in general, they advise against its use, whenever possible,” the Oxford Islamic Studies website said.

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David Roach is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention’s news service.