The Fine Fruitage of Honesty

□ Louis wanted to obtain a life-insurance policy and a disability-insurance policy. But he had a problem. He was a diabetic. When he applied for the insurance, one of the questions he had to answer was: Do you have diabetes or a history of same? Louis answered no. The insurance company wanted him to have a physical, but on the day of the physical, Louis did not eat. Hence, when he was examined, no surplus sugar was detected in his blood. So Louis got his policies.

However, he studied the Bible, and soon his conscience bothered him. So he told his insurance agent what he had done. The agent tried to dissuade him from telling the company, but Louis insisted and wrote them a letter. Happily, the company acted graciously toward him. They continued the life-insurance policy. However, they canceled the disability insurance, and yet they returned all premiums, plus interest, that he had paid on it. Now Louis serves God with a clear conscience.

□ Children can be honest too. Seven-year-old Eugene came to the Lost and Found Department at an assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses and turned in a penny that he had found. The minister in charge of the department asked him why he was bringing in a penny. What could anyone do with a penny? “They could buy bubble gum or a piece of candy,” said Eugene. Anyway, he insisted that the penny was not his, and he did not want to be displeasing to Jehovah by keeping it. The one in charge said: “That was a fine thing to do. Thank you very much, and I hope whoever lost the penny will come back and pick it up.”

□ At another large convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses, it was reported that bills as big as $20 that had been lost around the stadium were turned in to the Lost and Found Department by young children, without any prompting from their parents. This is not unusual at such gatherings.

Honesty is required of those who desire God’s approval. And “an honest conscience” promotes happiness. (Hebrews 13:18) Indeed, honesty bears fine fruitage in many ways.