Integrity
October 26, 2011 (Wednesday)
My father-in-law was a school teacher, and the latter part of his career was in school administration as he moved up to the job of school superintendent in east central Texas. He loved to share stories of boys and girls he had helped find their way to successful lives. He also had another love: ranching. He loved to hang his coat and tie in the closet, put on his khakis, work shirt and work boots and go to the acreage on the Navasota River bottom where he was born and raised. He dearly loved clearing land and creating pasture.
Every so often he would sell his cattle, usually to a man who would bring his trucks and load the cattle. The buyer always paid him with a check. I remember on one occasion, there was sickness in the family and my father-in-law was with the family at a Houston hospital when the cattle buyer was scheduled to pick up the cattle. The arrangements were made by telephone, and “Mister Louie” was not there when the cattle buyer came for the cows. The cows were loaded, and the check was written. By telephone they agreed that the check would be left on a table in the living room. The cows were hauled away and the check for $50,000 was left on a table. It was a gentleman’s agreement.
I’ll never forget that shining example of integrity and trust between two businessmen. No lawyers, no contract, none of the things that usually accompany such a transaction. A good word and a handshake was all it took for them to do business.
The Scriptures call upon us to be honest people of integrity. They urge us to treat others as we want to be treated. They remind us to guard our minds and think virtuous and noble thoughts. The heart of the matter is found in Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus..”