There is a story of a builder, who is contracted by a very wealthy man to build him the best possible house he can. The man tells the builder that money is no object, and to use only the best materials to build his house. The man, a private business owner, is ecstatic at this new contract, and the rich man leaves on a long journey.
The builder then says to himself, “Here is an opportunity to make a great deal of money.” So, he goes out and buys the lowest quality material he can and builds the house for a cheap price inside, and on the outside makes it looks as beautiful as the rich man had described. He could do all of this without the rich man knowing, for he was gone with his family.
Upon completion of the house, the rich man returns. He and the builder tour the house, the rich man raving on and on about how beautiful and strong the house looks. He tells the builder it is by far the most beautifully strong house he has ever built, and that the rich man is very pleased. The builder, feeling very proud of himself, welcomes this praise.
Then the rich man says, “I know your business has been rough lately and that you have been struggling, and I know you work hard. Since I know this house is the absolutely best one you could’ve built, I am giving you this house for you and your family to live in, and to have. I know it will keep you safe, and dry, and will last a great while.” And so the builder inherited the very house he was trying to get rid of.
While this story may make you chuckle, it deals with a very important topic. Integrity isn’t to be taken lightly, it’s a huge issue in today’s society. In our fallen world that’s centered around money and who can be better than who, it’s a topic worth examining.
How far does your integrity go? Are you an honest person, wanting to do your best and make sure you do it through hard workmanship, in an ethical way? Are you a hard worker who works hard for what you’re given? Are you trustworthy; can people trust you to get something done on time and in a way that’s beneficial?
Galatians 6:7 says it plainly: “….a man reaps what he sows.” What goes around comes around. Just as the builder got what he deserved because he thought he could make a quick buck at the other man’s expense, the same can happen to us. Once it happens, though, we have to live with what we’ve gotten, essentially to sleep in the bed we’ve made.
Honesty is the best policy. It will benefit your workplace, education, ministry, and family. It helps you be able to value what you work for. It’s the way God intended the world to be when He told Adam that he would eat by the sweat of his brow. Proverbs 13:4 says that a sluggard is never satisfied, but a diligent man’s appetite is full.
We reap what we sow…so what are you sowing?
