Teens

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Honesty Never Goes Out of Style
By Dan Blankenship
© 2007 Dan Blankenship



A few weeks ago, I took a trip to a local gas station and food mart to purchase two energy drinks. One of the beverages was for me, and one was for a coworker. I was purchasing the smaller size of the energy drink, and my colleague wanted me to purchase a larger can of the same product for him. He had given me a large bill that he wanted changed into smaller denominations. I never dreamed that such a simple task would lead to a life-lesson worthy of writing about, but it certainly did.

I purchased my energy drink and a few other items, then placed my friend’s item on the counter for the cashier to ring up. Instead of scanning the larger can of liquid into the cash register computer, the employee scanned the Universal Product Code on the side of my smaller can into the computer. Without hesitation, I informed the cashier that the two products were not the same price, and that the second item I was purchasing should cost nearly double what the first can had cost.

“You’ve got to be kidding me?” a voice behind me said. “I guess there are a few honest people left in the world.”

I turned to see a young woman standing behind me. She had a look of bewilderment on her face. And she had more to say: “You know, I bet 9 out of 10 people would have kept quiet about the price.”

I did not know what to say to this woman. It’s not very often that I am speechless. But right after she said what she said, I began to wonder if what she said could possibly be true. Would 9 out of 10 people have let the cashier undercharge them? After a few weeks to think about it, I believe the woman in line behind me was wrong in her assumption that a large majority of the population would have taken advantage of the cashier’s mistake.

Yes, there are people who would have kept silent when the opportunity to save a few bucks presented itself, but I believe a majority of people believe honesty is still in style. In looking at God’s instructions in Deuteronomy 25:13-15 (NIV) which says, “Do not have two differing weights in your bag – one heavy, one light. Do not have two differing measures in your house – one large, one small. You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord God is giving you.”

Honesty was in style during 1400 B.C. in Moab, and it is just as in style today. Those of us who believe in the God of the Holy Bible also believe truth and righteousness trump any attempt at financial gain, no matter how small or big. Weeks of reflection have led me to the conclusion that honesty is more prevalent than some might believe, and that today’s Christian teens will play a vital role in changing the way society views the importance of honesty in our lives. Honestly, I truly believe that!

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