It pays to be sincere. Riches gotten through dishonesty will certainly develop wings and fly away.
Life circumstances can turn a saint to a sinner without meaning to do so. It may be so difficult to be sincere when there is no food in the stomach; no money in the pocket and the opportunity is there for you to just tell a lie or steal in order to enrich yourself. Some persons have toiled hard all their lives without so much to show for it, while some other persons have embezzled money without any distress to their conscience and are being worshipped for their ill-gotten wealth in the society. In Nigeria today, there is a popular catchphrase for those aspiring to be in power or leadership positions ‘when it’s my turn, I will chop money too.’ Politicians vie for power in order to enrich themselves at the expense of the poor masses. The rich are getting richer and the poor are turning into beggars. Most people are beginning to question the purpose of sincerity when there’s little or nothing to show for it. The truth is that it pays to be sincere, if for anything but for the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your conscience is clean and devoid of any falsehood.
There was this young lady called Mary who worked as a sales-girl in a popular supermarket. One fateful afternoon a customer hurriedly came in to pick some items, dashed to the cashier, made payment and rushed out to catch a flight at the nearby international airport. Unfortunately for the customer, he mistakenly left his wallet containing his international passport, flight ticket, some documents and several foreign currencies behind at the cashier. After attending to the other customers, Mary noticed a wallet on her desk. She picked it up and glanced through the content. So many things flashed through her mind when she saw the pile of dollars in it – her brother’s tuition fee in the university she was sponsoring through school, her family deplorable condition and her meager wardrobe. She decided she was not going to steal to solve her problems and she closed the wallet. After a moment, the customer came back to the supermarket looking flustered. His wallet was handled over to him by Mary after identifying himself. He checked his wallet, thanked Mary and dashed out again. Precisely, three weeks later he came back and the following conversation ensued:
Customer: I came back to say a proper thank you for keeping my wallet. Aside the money, everything about me and my company was inside that wallet.
Mary: You are welcome.
Customer: what qualifications do you have? I would love to help somebody as honest as you get a better job.
Mary: I’m a graduate of Business administration. I work here hoping to get something better soon.
At this point, he handed Mary his business card and requested she comes to his company the following day. It was then Mary realized he was a director in a multinational company with various branches abroad. A week later, Mary was employed in the multinational company and her package included an official car, accommodation, a five-figure salary and several business trips abroad.
You can always choose to be sincere, no matter how difficult your situation is or how deprived you are. It’s a choice! The benefit may not be instant, but surely at the end it pays to be sincere and trustworthy. According to Confucius, “Sincerity and truth are the basis of every virtue.”
We pray for sincere leaders in our country today, who have the interest of the masses at heart and are willing to uphold the tenets of true democracy.
Life lesson: Sincerity is the foundation for promotion in life.
