The Testing of Integrity

J.P. Hayes is as honest as we like to think we are

The true test of a man's character is what he does when no one is watching. John Wooden said that, or maybe it was Spider-Man. Whatever, it still holds true; being noble and upstanding is easy enough when you've got people watching, but when you're alone with yourself, when you could do the wrong thing (or avoid the right thing) and get away with it, well -- that's when you find out what kind of person you are (Busbee, 2008).

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/blog/devil_ball_golf/post/J-P-Hayes-is-as-h...

I saw this headline today online as I was preparing to turn some writing pieces to NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and I was deeply impressed to see this story in print. How often do stories of fame and fortune, cheating and rivalry make news headlines, while stories of honesty, true character and integrity literally fall between the lines?
The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary tells us that the synonym for integrity is honesty. In all actuality, it was not John Wooden, or Spider-Man who first noted the value of integrity or honesty, but it was God Himself. In the Bible, (Proverbs 11:1, 3, 4 & 5) the Lord tells us He delights in honesty, hates cheating and that a good man is guided by his honesty while the evil man is destroyed by his dishonesty. He says your riches will not help you on Judgment Day; only righteousness found in the salvation of Jesus Christ counts then. Good people are directed by their honesty and the wicked shall fall beneath their load of sins. These are age old words of wisdom, but do we follow them? Do we take them to heart in all we say and do, think or plan?

What would you have done in this same situation? Would your financial needs have dominated your decision to do the right thing? Would it have taken someone finding you out before the truth of the matter would have been revealed? Or would you, like J.P. Hayes, been honest and shown integrity at all costs? I commend J.P. Hayes for such a decision as he serves to be an integral example not only to the golfing circuit but to mankind as well. I am sure the choice to be honest at a time when no one was looking has reaped him more than a disqualification in the PBA. He has yet to see the rewards of this decision, and I am willing to bet anything they will far outweigh the monetary advantages he could have received had he sown a lack of integrity.

The next time you find yourself in a situation where you may be tempted to be dishonest yet have the opportunity to choose honesty, integrity and to do the right thing, think about what J.P. chose, what God says and who may be touched by the sheer truthfulness of your actions or words. You might be surprised at the outcome you didn’t expect.