Honesty Is The Best Policy

Greetings to you all dear kids, parents and guardians on the Steem Kids & Parent community. It is my pleasure identifying with you. And thank you @udyliciouz for extending the invitation to me to join in the contest.

As rightly mention by @goodybest in her introductory remark, honesty is a virtues we need to cultivate. We have been taught in schools, places of worship and in the immediate family, and as such, we do well to allow it reflect in our conducts, speech, actions and relationship with others in the day to day activities.

I had a tempting instance to display my honesty. It all happen while steering the ship of Sunshine Computer College which was located at No. 1 Nsasak Street, Off Aka Road, Uyo (now deceased). I was the rector, overseeing all activities both academic and administrations.

The work load was much on me, but the take-home was nothing to write home about. The funny part is that the salary was not even regular, hence there was arrears accumulated. You can imagine the rigor of financial dryness while still energizing myself to do my very best.

The test of honesty now surfaces when one of our staff, a marketer whose salary was also fluctuating like mine approach me in my office one sunny afternoon after returning from his day's task and told me he wants to make a suggestion to me in view of the salary situation. I granted him the audience, and he start by saying; hmm, you know, am just thinking and I believe it may bale us out, you know, I need money. I told him go ahead with your suggestion, am listening. He then spelled out the beans and lowering his voice, he said: since our CEO is not coming to the office every time of the week, you are the person every one knows, so you are automatically the boss here as far as I am concern, so in view of that, you handle all transactions. I replied him: you are right. He then said, I will suggest, since the CEO did not know about all the transactions you are handling, there is need for you to hide some and kept it secret from him. He will only receive what you tell him is available. That will also help you to use the money to help yourself especially now that he is not paying.

When he was through, I sat for few minutes looking straight at him. Then I told him, Mr. marketer, I really admire your courage and straight forward suggestion. However, there is a saying in the Bible book of Proverb 20:1 which says: "A good name is to be chosen rather than great wealth; To be respected is better than silver and gold."

He ask me; what are you implying? I told him, I understand that I have been doing my best working, and that, my salary is not regular leading to arrears, but one thing I will not do is to spoiled my name. I rather leave here without collecting my salaries than me soiling my hands and have a nickname "thief", I will not be here to defend myself. So thank you for the advice, I appreciate your concern.

Two months after, my CEO brought in a lady who was in her final year in University of Uyo, Uyo, studying Computer Science and introduce her to me as the new rector, that I should work alongside her. I accepted without questioning. I had to quit my office for her and relocated to store in the apartment. This action though angered most of the staff including the student. Some of them came asking me why is my boss behaving like that after all the sacrifices you have put in. I only told them, such is life.

The following week, she (new rector) started inviting some of the student who were owing into her office and playfully asked; your course fee is #30,000, but is like you have completed your payment, do you have the receipt? The student responded, I did not complete my payment, I still owing #10,000. She will then answer, sorry for asking, is like I make a mistake checking, please try and pay up.

Her investigations was just to find out if what I put down on record actually correspond with the response from the students. At the end of the day, some of the student came to find out from me why is she doing that.

Two weeks later, the working atmosphere in the office became intense for some staffs to bear, two of them drop in their resignation. Following that development, my boss told me that the information reaching him is that all the financial records are up to date, but some if the students are owing. So see how you collect them.

The next week, I called the marketer, who advised I should not record all the transactions and told him about the new development. He was so shocked, and manage to say, thank God you do not do it. To be honest is good.

Lesson

Situations may arise in disguise to test your honesty at a time that it appears to be the only way out, if honesty have not been cultured in you, there is every tendency that you may fail the test. So irrespective of the situation, let honest have its work complete. If you stand your ground, at the end people will say, "honest is the best policy".

Thank you for stopping by, have a blessed day ahead.

I am inviting @umoh88, @peacepj and @dove11 to take part in the contest.