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Saturday, October 23, 2004
Dishonesty
Although Benjamin Franklin is generally thought to be the first person to use the axiom "Honesty is the best policy," that honor could go to any number of other people such as William Shakespeare or even the book of Proverbs. Maybe Ben stole it from Shakespeare?
Mark Twain, known more for wit than tact, aptly stated that "Honesty is the best policy - when there is money in it." His words were almost prophetic. Sam Clemons could not have known that this phrase would become the catchphrase of American Capitalism. We used to be defined by our honesty. Now our honesty is defined by our wallet. Business Ethics has become, sadly, an oxymoron of sorts.
A recent survey taken by the publishers of Reader's Digest found that we Americans are even more dishonest than we would like to admit.
The American workforce, long seen as the lifeblood of the country and the backbone of the ?American Dream?, might be said to be one of the most dishonest workforces in the world. Two out every three American workers openly admit to calling in sick when not ill. The same number of people also said that they've taken office supplies from their company for personal use.
The dishonesty doesn't stop there though. One out of every five people lied on their resumes and job applications to land the position they now hold. Twenty percent of the people we work alongside fudged their facts and took a job from someone who was honest about their qualifications.
But the lying doesn't stop there. Apparently we're just as cut-throat on the job as we are in the interview process. Thirteen percent of people surveyed have at one time or another shifted blame to a co-worker for something they did.
Where is the integrity?
We might assume from these facts that the workplace is the only Achilles heel our honesty has. But sadly, that's not the case at all.
Half of those questioned by Reader's Digest admitted to keeping quiet after being undercharged by a cashier. One of the defining moments of life as a child was seeing my mother return to a K-Mart after realizing she'd been given $2.13 extra in change. It would seem that half of today's children will never see their parents do such a thing.
Maybe that's why more than a third of the country has downloaded music from an internet site without paying. Can we expect our teens to adhere to an axiom that we ourselves do not model?
17% of us have cheated on our tax return by not declaring income or over-reporting deductions. To many people its even a game.
12% of us have actually switched price tags to get a lower price for something we bought.
It doesn't stop there though. We might think that it's easier to lie to an employer because they deserve it, the government because they overtax anyway, or a business because their prices are too high as it is, but what about those we love?
Where does the lying end? . . . Apparently nowhere.
We lie to our families on almost a daily basis. A third of us have lied to our spouse about the cost of a recent purchase. The same number of people have lied to their spouse about a relationship with another person.
If the numbers are to be believed, over 70% have lied to friends or family members about their appearance. We say that we do it to avoid hurting their feelings, but maybe we do it to boost our own status and protect our own egos.
Why else would we lie? Its rarely (if ever) to protect others. We do it to protect ourselves, our wallets, and our self-esteem.
We lie to our bosses. We lie to our government. We lie to those who serve us. We lie to our loved ones.
It's no wonder we lie to God.
"...true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24)
posted by Kevin at 10/23/2004 01:17:57 AM
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Friday, October 15, 2004
Twenty-Seven
Birthdays are somewhat of an enigma to me...
As a child, a birthday is the second most important event of the year. As an adult, we almost forget they are happening. At least, that is the plan for some people. For me, its always a chance to look back and thank God... a chance to look forward and pray to God.
I'm never as young as feel or as old as I look.
Whether its ministry, genetics, wisdom, or otherwise, I am an old soul... my years not really keeping up with my perceived age.
But then I look back on the blessings of my life and must admit that despite what I do to not deserve it, God has immeasurably blessed my life and work.
For the first time ever I received four calls at midnight from friends and members of my small group. FOUR! No one EVER wished me happy birthday at the stroke of midnight.
I came into work and there were Krispy Kremes, gifts, cards, and coffee waiting on me. WOW. I got a hug from a best friend and spent some time online reading notes of encouragement from around the country.
Lunch meant a trip with the staff and other friends to Hamburger Heaven. Who couldn't resist that?!?
Calls from family and other friends have filled the afternoon, and I know that the rest of today and the weekend will mean more fun.
I say all of that to say this..... I so easily (and quickly) forget that God has given me so much more than I deserve. A year ago, on my birthday, I was experiencing the lowest point in my life and ministry I hope I will ever experience. This year, on my birthday, I am experiencing the highest point in my life and ministry that I have ever experienced.
I look over the year and cry. I cry for the things lost; I cry for the things gained. But they are tears of joy... water squeezed from a heart that is filled and overflowing with the joy of God and the love of a man that deserves none of it.
. . . . So in honor of today, my day . . . .
I re-open my archives. It may seem like a small thing, but in reality its a huge step for me. I cannot say how long they will be available but for those willing to take the time to read through them I hope you will see these things: The work of God in my life, His overwhelming providence and love, the growth that has happened since this blog began.
. . . . Happy Birthday to me . . . . .
Growing old ain't optional. Growing Up is.
posted by Kevin at 10/15/2004 04:51:27 PM
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Thursday, October 07, 2004
If I may...
If I may vent for a moment....
When you publish a website, make sure that you have a little self-respect.
What do I mean? I mean, check your grammar. I mean, avoid fragments. I mean, use spell check. I mean, make sure that it is up-to-date when you publish. If it already contains old info when you 'go live', then you are just sloppy.
Also, don't publish your site unless it is finished, or mostly finished. When over 80% of your site is incomplete, don't publish. Seriously, it just makes you look real inept.
And more than anything else, if you are a religious site its a bad reflection on your ministry, your church, and ultimately your savior.
... thanks for the vent. Now, back to the regularly scheduled programming. ;)
posted by Kevin at 10/07/2004 01:30:01 AM
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Friday, October 01, 2004
"Horror Vacui"
Latin : 'fear of empty space' or 'fear of emptiness'
The compulsion to make marks in every space. Horror vacui is indicated by a crowded design.
posted by Kevin at 10/01/2004 11:56:42 PM
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