Integrity Unseen: Doing the Right Thing When No One is Watching

Amazingly, people are shocked when you do the right thing.  On my way home this evening, I stopped at the store, and as I rushed to get through the store, I put the milk on the bottom of the cart. As I was doing the self-checkout, I managed to overlook the milk under the cart.  As I left the grocery store, I realized I had not paid for the milk.  So, I made my way back inside, and one of the workers asked if I needed help with anything.  I replied, “ I checked out and missed paying for my milk, and I just wanted to make it right by coming back in to pay for it.  His jaw dropped, and he said “ no one does this when no one has noticed they didn’t pay for an item.” I said to him, “ I’m doing the right thing even when no one is watching because if I had left without knowingly not paying, I would have had conviction in my Spirit from God, and I would have had to turn around to come back and pay for my milk.”

I don’t understand why it’s okay to decide not to do the right thing even when people aren’t looking.  It’s called integrity.  You do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do.  We have gone through a generation where you do what you want and don’t worry about the repercussions.  I want to set an example for my grandchildren and others to do the right thing, even when no one is watching. God sees us all the time. He's the one for whom it truly matters that I do the right thing to be honoring to Him.