GIVING THE GIFT OF HONESTY
The story of Hans Christian Andersen's tale “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” represents the virtue of honesty. The story concerns two swindlers who convinced the emperor that they had the power to weave the finest cloth. They told him this cloth was not only beautiful, but it possessed magic as well. They claimed it was invisible to anyone who was stupid or unfit for his office. Then they proceeded to weave the cloth and make a suit of clothes that the emperor was to wear in a great procession.
When the clothing was finished, the emperor and all his subjects could see nothing, for there was nothing to be seen, yet each was afraid to tell the truth. As the emperor passed by in the grand procession, everyone admired the fit, the color, and the pattern of the emperor’s new clothes, which, of course, did not exist. At last, a small child exclaimed, “Why, he has nothing on at all.”
“Oh, what a tangled web we weave...when first we practice to deceive.”
Many people rationalize committing “small” acts of dishonesty such as keeping extra change they receive at the store, taking supplies from the workplace, being less than accurate on tax returns, and so on. Yet even so-called small errors need to be eradicated from our lives, for anytime we are dishonest, we are breaking one of the Lord’s commandments. The scriptures teach us, “there cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God.”
When we learn to be honest in the little things, we acquire spiritual strength, increased confidence, we gain respect from those whom we associate and it becomes easier to be honest in the “greater” things.
“An honest man's the noblest work of God.” Alexander Pope
This Christmas season may we exemplify the virtue of honesty.
Linda Sumner Urza, written for: onefineday11.blogspot.com
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