Honesty’s Rewards - Samuel

“Testify against me in the presence of the LORD and before his anointed one. Whose ox or donkey have I stolen? Have I ever cheated any of you? Have I ever oppressed you? Have I ever taken a bribe and perverted justice? Tell me and I will make right whatever I have done wrong.”

1 Samuel 12:3

An armored car once spilled two million dollars on a busy freeway in Columbus, Ohio. Officials recovered only four hundred thousand dollars of the funds; most of the rest disappeared with the throngs who scooped up the loose cash. Only a few were honest enough to return what clearly did not belong to them.

Life presents us with many opportunities to choose right or wrong, integrity or deceit, truth or lies. Who doesn’t fudge a little in business dealings? Who doesn’t tell his spouse the occasional white lie?

After all, that’s better than creating more conflict, right? Who doesn’t once in a while give in to his buddies and do sleazy things? Hey, we’re only human.

Samuel, a prophet and judge, earned a reputation for unimpeachable honesty that served him well throughout his long public career. At the coronation of Saul, Israel’s first king, Samuel had something important to say regarding the people’s demand for an earthly king to rule over them, but first he challenged them to tell him if he had ever stolen anything, cheated or oppressed anyone, taken any kind of bribe, or perverted justice in any way.

Samuel was asking the people to declare their opinion of him. Did they know him as a man of honesty and integrity? Was he a thief and a robber, or a fair and trustworthy leader? Everyone knew the answer and didn’t hesitate to give it: Yes, Samuel was honest; yes, he lived with integrity; yes, he always treated the people fairly; yes, they could trust him. Samuel could speak to the people that day with great authority because he had carefully maintained his reputation as an honest man over many years.

Can you speak with the same authority?

We choose every day whether we will deal in truth or in lies. Regardless of your past, you can start choosing right now to be a man of integrity, honesty, and truth. What temptations in your life urge you to bend the truth? How can Samuel’s example help you to choose honesty instead?