On Life 12 – Be Honest – February, 7, 2014

   Walking on the path of life needs great wisdom so that we can safely reach the end of the journey to its determined destination. They say, “Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom”

   One who chooses honesty as a life style will be fully aware of how rich and deep it is. William Shakespeare, the English Writer, said, “No legacy is so rich as honesty.”

   These words reminded me of the story of a policeman whose salary was little, yet he was contented feeling that God blesses his money and that he is not in need for anyone. He fulfilled his duties honestly. One night, while he was on his guarding shift, he suspiciously saw a man pulling a cow after midnight. He asked the man about the reason of being out at that time of midnight. The man was confused and he gave money to the policeman, so that he would leave him alone. Yet, the policemen took him to the police station and when they reached there, he presented him before the police officer who stood astonished before the man who was smiling to him. The police officer asked him to sit down and hesitantly told him that man was the new Deputy Director of the Security Directorate and that he get used to disguising himself and taking tours around patrols in order to make sure that security is maintained. He borrowed the cow from a friend and played the role of the suspect. On the next day, the Deputy Director sent for the policeman to come to his office, he said to him, “You are an honest person, thus wait for a promotion and here is the money that you refused to take yesterday”

   Life is full of many role models who are honest at their work, words and what they are entrusted on. Undoubtedly, an honest person is loved and trusted by all. Bible says, “Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.”

   So whoever chooses to work dishonestly should realize that he will receive the same treatment. God is just and honest.

   A story recounts that a villager used to travel from his village to the city to sell butter and he used to make it in a rounded shape and each peace weighed one Kilogram. The villager left the grocer’s shop after he sold him butter and bought his needs and when the grocer was to put the butter in the fridge he weighted a peace and found its weight was 900 grams. He weighted a second and a third peace and found that all of them weighed 900 grams.

   When the villager came again, the grocer received him angrily saying, “I will stop dealing with you as you are dishonest. Each piece of butter I bought from you weighs 900 grams while I paid you the price of one kilogram for each piece”.  “Do not think unwell of me. We are poor people and we do not have the measurement of a kilogram, but I rather take one kilogram of the sugar I bought from you, put it on the scale and put on the other dish the equal amount of butter”

   Dear man, be honest in your life as you will reap the fruit of your honesty one day. Be honest in your word, work and all what your hands touch. This is your real treasure so do not wait a reward from anybody as God sees, listens and rewards … on life we are still sailing…

General Bishop

Head of the Coptic Orthodox church