Proverbs 10:9 says that the man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. This is part two on a five part series of steps to greatness. This is principle number two which is to do the right thing, even when no one is looking. A person’s true character is not determined by what they do or say when they’re in public, but it’s who they are when no one else is around.
We’re all aware of one of the greatest tragedies in world history – the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. But what most people don’t know is that while the ship did, in fact, hit an iceberg, that’s not the likely reason that it sank. Recent research has found that substandard construction likely led to the Titanic’s demise. The real reason for the tragedy? Rivets; those tiny little pieces of metal that hold the panels of steel together. The analysis of these rivets have shown that shortcuts were made in their production and it caused them to fail when the Titanic hit the iceberg.
While I’m sure that other factors contributed to this horrible event, the producer of the rivets played a big role in the loss of more than fifteen hundred lives. Maybe the manufacturer thought they could get away with producing a lower quality rivet, maybe making more profit, or taking less time to produce the high quality product. Maybe they thought that in the end, it wouldn’t matter and they wouldn’t get caught. But by not doing the right thing, the results were tragic.
What about you? Will you stay committed to doing the right thing, even when no one is looking? Are you taking shortcuts or not producing your very best work because you don’t think someone will notice? Are you the same person whether you’re in public or home alone? I want to encourage you to do the right thing, especially when no one else is looking. When you do this, you’ll be applying the truth at work.