INTEGRITY

INTEGRITY

One of my elementary school teachers, Mrs. Reese, loved the age-old axiom, “Honesty is the best policy.”  Over the years, I have learned that my second grade teacher was right on the mark.  Integrity definitely pays, with unexpected dividends in both the short- and long-term.  Long ago, a young woman in a distant kingdom learned that integrity is not only a sure-fire investment; it is the only possession that truly matters.

Her story goes like this.  The king had a well known talent for growing flowers.  He was also looking for a suitable candidate to become his wife and successor to the throne.  The king identified floral ability as the deciding factor in his choice of a bride, so he issued a flower seed to every adult female in the kingdom.  In the coming year, the young lady who would produce the most beautiful flower from her seed would be the next queen.

A girl called Serena was overwhelmed by this prospect and determined to grow the most beautiful flower possible.  She planted her seed in an ornate pot and cultivated it with great care, but nothing would grow.

The following year, everyone gathered at the palace carrying pots laden with beautiful flowers.  She was very disappointed, but went to this festive event anyway, along with her empty pot.  The king inspected all the flower pots and then stopped beside hers.  “Why is your pot empty?” he asked.  “Your highness, I did everything I could think of to make the seed grow, but I have failed miserably,” she answered sadly.

“No…you did not fail,” the king replied.  “You see, all the seeds I distributed were purposefully roasted, so nothing would ever grow from them.  I have no idea where all these flowers we see have come from.  But you have been completely honest and clearly deserve to become my wife and heir.  You will our queen!”

Sometimes, it looks like we are losing, when we are actually winning.  So we must always be honest, even when it is apparently working against us.  Why?  Because character is who we are in the dark, when we are certain that no one else is observing.  Mrs. Reese was absolutely right: “Honesty is the best policy.”  In a word, integrity pays!  Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed!