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The Power of Honesty

We have all been told that honesty is the best policy. However, how many of us actually make honesty a priority in life? Honesty can be defined as saying or doing what is truthful and right. If you put honesty first in each and every thing you do, then you will notice that you happy with yourself and your choices in life.
In many cases, temptation may make it hard to choose the high road of honesty. Sometimes, at the expense of others, we make the wrong choice simply because we know that we won’t get caught. Dishonesty is the wrong choice because it is unethical and may negatively affect others. Dishonesty also puts us in positions that can turn friends and family against us.
Are you an honest person? Answer the following questions to test your honesty:

  1. You purchase a soda at the convenience store and when you walk outside you notice that the cashier accidentally gave you too much change. Would you:
    1. Keep the change since it was the cashier’s mistake?
    2. Walk back in and tell the cashier that she should quit her job because she made a careless mistake?
    3. Return the money?
  2. You are using your friend’s computer and you open up an e-mail that has a virus that corrupts the entire system. Would you:
    1. Not say anything and act surprised if the friend says anything about it?
    2. Blame it on your friend saying that it was like that when you tried to use the computer?
    3. Tell your friend the truth and offer to help fix it?
  3. You are walking out of the grocery store and notice a woman leaving her purse in the cart. Would you:
    1. Leave it there and not say anything?
    2. Take the money out of the purse and then return the purse to the store manager?
    3. Run over and return the purse to the woman before she gets in her car and leaves?

Obviously the ethical and honest answer to all of the questions above is (c). However, people often will choose a different answer because they know they will not get caught. Many people believe in karma: they feel that if they make a bad or dishonest decision then they will attract bad luck. On the other hand, those who believe in karma also believe that if they make ethical and honest decisions then they will attract good luck. Any way that you look at it, honesty is always the best policy, and each person who chooses to be honest is very happy with the person he or she sees when looking in the mirror.