The Value of Trust

Your reputation for honesty affects your success​—whether you are aware of it or not. The experience of Franz, who was quoted in the preceding article, bears this out. “When I first started working for my employers,” he says, “they subjected my honesty and integrity to a series of tests without my knowledge. As I later came to know, I passed. As a result, I have been entrusted with more responsibility and freedom and the owners have rewarded me for my honesty. I know that there are other people who could do my job better than I can and who are certainly cleverer than I am. However, I think my job has been secure because of the trust my employers have in me.”

Self-Respect

“Several years ago I interviewed a prospective client who wanted to purchase a million-dollar life insurance policy. My commission would have been thousands of dollars. He told me that to gain his business, I would have to give him half of my commission. What he was asking was not only unethical but also illegal, and I told him so.

“I tried to reason with him by asking if he would really want to give his confidential personal and financial information to someone who was dishonest. I restated my position and told him to contact me if he wanted me as his agent. I never heard from him again.

“If I had agreed to his offer, my personal integrity would have been undermined and my self-respect as a Christian shattered. I would have become the slave of the man who manipulated me to participate in a dishonest scheme.”​—Don, U.S.A.

Peace of Mind

As related in the opening article in this series, Danny was offered a large bribe if he would lie about the capability of a potential supplier’s factory. How did he respond?

“I thanked the manager for his hospitality in providing dinner and then returned the envelope containing the money. He pressed further and said that if his factory passed our evaluation, he would add even more. I refused.

“If I had accepted the money, I would have constantly been in fear of discovery. Later, my boss somehow found out about the incident. I was so happy and relieved that I had done nothing dishonest. Proverbs 15:27 came to my mind: ‘The one making unjust profit is bringing ostracism upon his own house, but the hater of gifts [or bribes] is the one that will keep living.’”​—Danny, Hong Kong.

A Good Relationship With God

“My work includes purchasing supplies for my company. Sales agents sometimes propose that instead of giving my company the full discount allowable, they will give me a percentage of whatever amount my company purchases. But this would be a form of stealing from my company.

“I earn only a modest income, and I could use the additional money. But nothing can compare to having a clean conscience and an approved standing before Jehovah God. So in every transaction, I follow the Bible principle found at Hebrews 13:18: ‘We wish to conduct ourselves honestly in all things.’”​—Raquel, Philippines.