Why do people have to lie? How is it good business to do so? I was blatantly lied to by an individual who I assume thought I knew nothing about his particular area of expertise. But I did. If you’re trying to sell a product or service why not be honest and establish your company as a reputable entity that can be trusted? This way you can have repeated business in the future…man, I was so disappointed.

Then they get mad because I call them out and they have to backpedal; all for extra bucks today when had they been honest it could have been several thousand in future transactions, not to mention a stellar reputation to go along with it. I have to ask myself, what were they thinking? Maybe people aren’t very smart or they short-sell their credibility because it’s today that they are in desperate need for the extra money (or whatever it is they are lying about) and the future doesn’t matter if they aren’t around to see it.

I Could Not Say Anything

Going down a rabbit trail, I also wonder why I can’t just keep my mouth shut. I could’ve not let them know that I knew they were lying – I could’ve let it slide and still refused the service. I don’t like being lied to I guess, it pisses me off, and I also don’t like to be pushed around. My personality is quite happy-go-lucky. To some who are far more serious, it may seem an unbearable lightness of being, annoying even. But as I’ve heard it said before, I have far less play in me than one might initially think.

I don’t always know everything, (I say not always because I also can know anything there is to know by the omniscient God when He sees fit to share with me).

So then I think about myself and how there are so many things I don’t know so how might I have been taken advantage of in the past?

We May Not Understand Why Now, But the Future Reveals the Reason

Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”

John 13.7

Fear and high pressure sales do not work on me, at least not most of the time. Liars usually have to create an atmosphere first, perhaps of urgency or maybe confusion, before selling the narrative and zeroing in for the kill. One of my first jobs was selling cutlery – they are good knives too, I still have them and they are still sharp 30 years later. When what is being sold is of high quality, no dishonest tactics are needed to sell it. Being trained to sell those knives makes me chuckle today. The manager at that time, Rich Oakes, was a stellar guy, I think he’s started his own business today and doing great. He taught me a lot of things in that short fifteen month season that I’ll never forget and the knowledge has served me well.

Sometimes we wonder why we are where we are. We might think, why am I here doing this right now when I could be doing anything else? But wow, the thousands of dollars I have saved throughout my life having been taught how sales and marketing work at a cutlery office has been of utmost value to me.

Integrity Counts for More, Respect Brings a Better Harvest

Trust. Telling the truth can cost a company or an individual a lot of money, while on the other hand, being dishonest can increase a company’s bottom line. But at the expense of what? It’s a huge risk to bet on someone not uncovering the truth. I knew the truth, called the individual on his play, and still was pressured, as even their co-worker hopped in to reiterate the urgency of a situation which later turned out not to be so urgent, as I had already known.

I guess I feel disrespected somehow. There is a certain amount of respect that comes with having a husband to handle certain situations. But what I know that people who lie to me don’t know is that I have an all-knowing Husband who can follow them home, listen to them when they’re talking about me behind closed doors, and He delivers to me far more power than an earthly husband can provide. This makes me smile, because even though things would be somewhat easier being married, having an omnipotent God as a protector is unbeatable:)

The King and His Host

And when said Husband is also King, having a vast array of angelic host at His service, and I’m His wife, well dear children of God, we all also have a power that can manifest from the invisible to the visible – the spiritual realm is no different this very day as it was in 4000 B.C. or 1 A.D. when angels manifested to speak with Abraham or Lot or Mary – and I do believe, they manifest at will around us for whatever purpose our Lord and King – our Husband – deems appropriate.

Man, it’s hard to find people who are supportive and trustworthy. But thank God I do know some who are and have the privilege of doing business with them. You know when you’ve found an honest person when the decisions they make help you increase your wealth when it could have benefited them to say nothing at all or sell you something you don’t really need.

Sowing Trust, Integrity and Good Will Now for an Uncertain Future Ahead

Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. Divide your portion among seven, or even eight, for you do not know what disaster may befall the land.…

Ecclesiastes 11.1-2

Generous, reliable and trustworthy people and companies are growing more scarce it seems. Could it be that one day, when I open to see who’s knocking, it will be a robot who’s come to fix the problem I’m having with the car, or HVAC, or refrigerator or……

God only knows where humanity is headed. But I for one am going to strive for as much honesty as possible knowing that man may kill the mortal body, but it is God who holds the soul.

Featured Image by Ronda Dorsey