There are few things I hate more in this life than hypocrites and liars. Both deal with trust. If someone is cocky enough to lie to you, especially to your face, then their word for anything else is in question.
What more will they lie about?
Hypocrites…
I mentioned that we moved. There really wasn’t much in the way of excitement in the act. We were following what we all felt was God’s leading us into the wilderness for a reason not yet revealed.
And wilderness is exactly what this is. Right smack in the middle of living among scorpions and vipers right along side some of the most beautiful creatures we’d ever seen.
More than the environmental side, we are also living right in the middle of blatant human honesty and hypocrisy, The honesty of hard working country folk bumps up against the greediness of those proclaiming a false flag to entice the unwary.
Like us.
House purchase…
Out of state, we bought land that was bloated in price because we didn’t know any better. Looking around the area online, the prices seemed to be about equal. This one just a bit higher because all utilities were already on the land.
After a few months of living here, we discovered we paid over $35,000 more than the land was worth.
Again, out of state, we perused the house dealers in the area to find something suitable for our family. It became a toss-up between two dealers. The one I liked didn’t have a house within neither our price range nor size to accommodate the large family.
We landed on a dealer that had the house we needed, complete with promises of quick install and good service.
And as a plus, it had a great “mission statement” on the site stating that the owner and his wife wanted to help people, and provide them with affordable housing. Complete with little fish symbol.
After we started having code violations, installation issues, and no returned calls, those little nuances quietly disappeared off the website.
Hypocrites. Liars.
External appearances and witnesses…
Our Lord told the Pharisees that they dressed nicely, put on a good show, but were nothing more than whitewashed tombs. (Matthew 23:27)
When a person touts their beliefs, it really doesn’t matter what the religion or ideology is. The question is whether or not they really believe what they preach.
It is easier to deal with someone who is passionate and honest about what they truly believe than someone whose core values reflect a false front. At least with someone honest, you know where they stand.
Deception loses credibility very rapidly.
Let your yes be yes…
There are people who are completely satisfied with those who cheat others. The ratings for this particular company, for example, are 5 star and one star. Not much in between.
Consistency is the key to integrity. Without it, the face that is shown is one of instability.
We may have come up against something bigger than ourselves. It may be something that is beyond this world.
Or bad timing.
Whatever it is, the bottom line is that we have been allowed to experience something on a grander scale in our lives than we’d seen before.
It is expected of politicians to lie to us. They do it all the time. Very few can be found with any integrity at all. The rest just keep selling us on what we want to hear.
But those who proclaim integrity should treat others on the same level they expect themselves to be treated. They shouldn’t keep talking themselves into believing that they are doing something good when so many say they are not.
Bad for business…
If someone wants to run a business and be successful, they need to hold integrity to the highest standard first within themselves. What is understood and practiced internally always reflects externally. They cannot be separated one from the other.
Integrity doesn’t lie. It is honest. And it treats others with the respect and dignity they deserve.
When someone decides to pursue a different path and allow the love of something far inferior to relationships become their guide, then they lose their way. Eventually they will fall, and depending on how high they have climbed will determine their final outcome.
Be honest. Don’t cheat, steal, lie, treat others with courtesy and respect, keep your word, stay in touch, and for the sake of your own soul, don’t be Pharisaical about yourself.
There isn’t one of us who is perfect. Admit when you are wrong and made mistakes. Try to correct them. And keep your integrity intact.
All it takes is one unhappy customer to generate hundreds (thanks to the internet) who will never set foot in your place.
Honesty and integrity will win you customers. People are drawn to those who treat others as they would like to be treated. Keep your commitments and promises.
But above all, don’t lie about who you are. It’s bad for business. Your business – and the relationships you could destroy within your community.