in-teg-ri-ty

Today someone paid me a compliment.

He said … “we need more people like you Shannan, people who tell the truth and fight for what’s right and push people to see what they sometimes don’t want to see”.

And I said to him “but people like me don’t go far in places like this”.

And he just shrugged and smiled.

In a world where people are trying to get by and get higher and bigger and better and richer by lying and cheating and stepping on other peoples feelings there are few of us who are willing to work hard, tell the truth and stick with it.

So many of us lose our integrity on a daily basis.  And I guess I’m not willing to lose mine.

In times like this I have to think of Job from the bible.  Yes, I’m going to quote the bible … are you ready for this?  And if you’re a theologian just shush because I’m going to use some major creative story telling license here.

Job (pronounced Jobe) was a good man.  He worked really hard and he praised God always.  His life was bountiful!

One day Satan and God passed each other so they had a chat.  And God said “Have you seen my mate Job?  He’s honest and true and hardworking and devoted and he hates evil”.

And Satan said “You know God, Job only praises you because he has all that land and cattle and all those healthy children and because his life is so good, you protect him.  But if you were to take it all away he would curse you”.

And God said “No way man, Job is a good guy and I reckon if he’s tested he’ll come up trumps”.

So Satan destroys everything of Job’s!  His 500 oxen, 500 donkeys, 7000 sheep, and 3000 camels.  Then to top it off Satan kills all ten of Job’s kids.

And sure enough Job doesn’t curse God.  Of course he’s upset.  He’s horrified and grieving and feeling completely wretched.  But he knows that God hasn’t killed his family or his animals.

But still that’s not enough for Satan (because he’s a giant jackass), so he goes back to God and says “Let me hurt him”.

And God says “Well alright, but you can’t kill him”.

So Satan smites (yes, SMITES) Job and he gets boils all over his body.  He’s in terrible pain and he’s all scabby and oozing puss, it’s totally gross.  And his wife tells him to curse God.  But Job says “Don’t be a bloody foolish woman, how can I only accept the good days from God and not also the bad days?”

Still Job didn’t curse God.  He kept his integrity.  He still loved God and hated evil.

Anyway the story goes on and on and on but in the end Job is rewarded for his devotion and his steadfastness.  In fact he lives for another 140 years, has another 10 kids and gets twice as many livestock as before.  And his daughters (there were 3 of them) were the most beautiful in the land!

I guess all of that just to tell you that there are good days and there are bad days.  And some days the bad days suck a lot!  And some days it feels like the bad guys are winning.

But whether you believe in God or karma or retribution.  Know that what goes around comes around.  

And it may not happen today or tomorrow but your hard work and honesty will pay off.  Stay strong, don’t lose your integrity, fight the good fight.

The liars and the cheaters and the morally corrupt people of the world will get what’s coming to them.  And if it’s not in this life it will certainly be in the next.

Amen