Clint and I went to the York River State Park over our long weekend together. When we pulled up to the window to pay the parking fee, we saw a sign saying they were using the honor system. You were suppose to take an envelope, remove the parking pass, pay the fee by sliding it into the locked box and then hang the parking pass from your rearview mirror. The park authorities are trusting you to be honorable.
Clint searched through the envelopes for one with the parking pass still attached. The box was filled with dozens of envelopes with the parking pass removed, so it was hard finding the few that were left. When Clint returned, he looked at me and said, "I am sorry that took so long, but my integrity and the example I set are worth more to me than $3."
God often leaves us on the honor system. We get to make a choice that we think no one else will see. A choice we think doesn't matter in the long run. Sometimes He allows the additional pressure of other people's expectations of us or the thought that "everyone else is doing it."
We should not let other people or their expectations of us sway us into doing wrong. If we do, we are serving that person but not the Lord. The Lord and His way should come first and nothing more and nothing less should be considered. If everyone else is doing it, it doesn't make it right. Exodus 23:2a Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong.
Every time you make the wrong choice, you cheapen your name. Every time you make the right choice, you improve your name. If you are a Christian, then the same can be said about the One you are called to represent.
$3 or $3,000,000 should not be enough to sell your integrity. Mostly, it shouldn't be worth anything to bring shame to Your Father. That's the Name above names we need to honor.
Although not a single one of us will ever be perfect, and we will all fail at some point or another; aren't you glad we can always seek and rely on wisdom from the One who is perfect and will never fail us?
Aren't you thankful He grants new opportunities to behave honorably? God is a God of "do overs." That alone should make us want to choose what brings Him honor over what brings Him shame.
This was picked up by Sonlight (homeschool curriculum publisher) blog. A special shout out to them and the visitors from their page!
