2 Corinthians 8:21: “For we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.”
I heard this story today in one of my classes. I didn’t know where it was going, but then I remembered that the class I was taking was on integrity. A dad told us the story of the day when his kids got a dog. One day a stray dog came by their house. It was a pretty dog. It had beautiful markings, and it was small enough that it wouldn’t cost too much to feed. Dad was debating if he should return the dog or keep his kids happy. The kids begged him to keep the dog, so he decided to call the number on the collar. When the dog’s owner answered the dad said, “I found this collar, and it has your name, would you like it back?” He let the owner think he had just found the collar and did not mention the dog itself. His kids were so happy that he kept the dog.
He tells the story of that day his family got the dog is also the day he lost his kids. He taught them that if you want something, you can lie. If you want to be happy, you can keep things that don’t belong to you. With a teary eye he said his kids don’t follow the faith anymore. They are constantly in trouble, and they never acknowledge when they are in the wrong.
Integrity starts at home.