When I was quite young, around 8 or 9 years old, our family was good friends with the pastor of our church. Since my dad was also the custodian of the church, we saw our pastor Rev. Orson Evans on a regular basis. Rev. Evans liked little novelties and tricks, and one day he showed me a trick light bulb.
He told me that the lightbulb only lit up for people who were really smart. He held the base of the light on top of his closed fist, then screwed it into his fist. And it lit up! I was absolutely amazed.
He let me try, and it didn’t work. My dad was there and he did it and it worked for him. Then pastor did it again. He and my dad had a good laugh at my expense.
Finally, he told me how it worked. When he screwed it into his fist, his wedding ring completed the circuit between the base and the threads of the bulb, and the battery inside would then light the bulb. He said any metal that conducts electricity would work, and he let me try again with a copper penny. And it worked!
Then, as I was handing it back, I dropped the lightbulb, and it broke. My heart sunk. Rev. Evans said it was not a big deal, but my dad said that it was. He asked how much the lightbulb cost, and when Rev. Evans finally told him, my dad got out his checkbook and paid for it.
After we left the office, I asked dad why he paid for it even after the pastor said he didn’t have to. My dad said that it was the right thing to do. He further said that since I was his son, he was responsible for me and my actions. He let me play with the lightbulb, so when I broke it, he took the responsibility to pay for it.
Zig Ziglar once said, “With integrity you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide.”
Integrity is doing the right thing no matter what the consequences. Someone with integrity takes responsibility for their own actions and puts the needs of others above their own. They choose honesty in all situations even when it means admitting they are in the wrong.
Integrity is a choice. You can choose to be reliable, to admit when you are wrong, to put others above yourself, and to take responsibility. Who do you know that has integrity? Tell us about it in the comments below.