INTEGRITY

Many years ago, I was dutifully being the mother, wife, housekeeper, and family manager. At that time, I decided to buy a side of beef because the meat would be of a much greater quality and the cost would be much more affordable. The meat came cut, packaged, labeled and ready for the freezer. It was at that time that I rented a meat locker to store my newly purchased meat. I was so proud of my accomplishment and planning for my little family. We would have delicious, high quality meat for the next six months. I would plan out our menus for the next two weeks and then would go to the meat locker for the meat.

All was going well and I was so proud of myself as a little homemaker. After a couple of months, however, I noticed that there did not seem to be the same amount of packaged meat as there was the time before; and also, I was getting home and there would be liver and other inferior meat that I had no idea belonged to me. I was a little confused but thought all was well and that I just didn't know what I had purchased. Soon the meat was gone and I decided not to go that route again—you know, such an inconvenience to have to go back in those dark freezers to pull out meat.

A few years later, I learned that the owner of the meat locker was actually stealing the meat from unsuspecting renters for his own use. The light bulb went on. So that is what happened to my delicious, high quality meat. He was replacing it with inferior meat--taking two of mine and leaving one of his. Needless to say, I felt totally violated and disgusted with him. It was not surprising to learn that he went out of business. Life has such a way of paying us back for what we do to others. As I think about the owner of the meat locker, I am still appalled by his lack of honesty. However, I only lost meat, but he lost his integrity!


Integrity, to me, is the state of living, thinking, acting on a higher moral level. It is to have a ''high heart.'' Only the finest of qualities may be associated with integrity. Honesty, truth, sincerity, kindness, righteousness. I believe integrity to be the pinnacle of all human characteristics and one that should be honored and constantly pursued.