When I was in college one of my dorm mates came knocking on my door with a fistful of candy bars.
Between bites he said, “Hey man, someone knocked over the vending machine! Go grab whatever you want, but you better hurry up before it’s all gone.”
Being a sophomore my first thought was… “Free food!!!” I rushed to the common area where the vending machines were located and found a group of guys standing around the overturned machine. Oddly, no one was moving, everyone was just staring at the machine.
I thought maybe I was too late and all of the candy bars were gone. Or maybe someone was stuck with their arm in the machine. As I pushed my way forward I quickly saw what everyone was staring at. It was a simple note taped to the glass of the vending machine.
The note asked a searing question…
Is Your Integrity Worth 50 Cents?
I’ve never forgotten that moment or the lesson that was burned into my conscience. What’s the value of my integrity? In that moment my integrity wasn’t worth 50 cents. I was ready to cash it all in for a Twix.
Because of that note I sulked back to my room without any “free” food, but a lot of humble pie.
I attended college during the Napster and CD burning era. People were burning CDs to share and downloading whatever they wanted. Every time someone offered me a “free” CD I kept thinking about that vending machine note.
What’s your integrity worth?
Is there a price where you would exchange your good name and reputation for something that you think will get you ahead or give you an advantage? If so, that’s all your integrity is worth.
People do it all the time. Numbers are fudged on an expense report, personal items are mailed on the company dime, and office supplies are treated like a food pantry. Integrity is sold for a low, low price every day.
Maybe you think everyone does it and I’m making a big deal out of something that’s inconsequential, but I’ve found that people who sell out for stamps eventually sell out in the big legal and ethical areas.
No one wakes up and says, “Today is a great day to embezzle!” or “Today is a great day to commit fraud!” It’s just the next logical decision in a long line of small decisions. Those decisions added up to create a person with the type of integrity who would embezzle, who would lie, who would cut corners, who would do something illegal.
Once you’ve crossed that line…All the money in the world and all of the accomplishments in the world can’t get back your good name once it’s lost or more accurately, sold. (Think Lance Armstrong.)
“Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.” -Proverbs 22:1
If you don’t decide now that your integrity can’t be bought for any price, all of the good you do will be erased…overnight.
How much is your integrity worth? More than silver or gold.
