I have always considered myself an honest person. I don't tell lies and I do good work. I never thought that my integrity would be tested at the age I am now. However, I learned a lesson on integrity that really hit me to the very center of my spirit and I found myself repenting and committing to be a more honest person. I didn't even completely recognize that I was not having integrity at first. We were selling a travel trailer about 18 months ago. It was a beautiful trailer and in excellent condition. I knew it would sell fast and I had a lot of interested buyers. The day came when one of the buyers made a good offer and we made a verbal agreement over the phone and arranged the day to meet to go over all the components of the trailer to show them how to work everything. The day before they came I noticed an outdoor speaker that was broken on the outside of the trailer. We really didn't use the outdoor speakers that much and I hadn't noticed that it had been broken. At first I thought, "Oh, I didn't realize that was broken. I wonder how it happened. I guess they didn't notice when they came to look at the trailer the first time. Oh well, it's up to them to look over everything thoroughly. I wasn't intentionally trying to hide it because I didn't even know that had happened."
They came the next day with the cashier's check ready for the walkthrough of the trailer. I had already forgotten about the broken outdoor speaker. I wasn't intentionally trying to be dishonest. However, I didn't make it a point to be completely transparent either. I could have sent a text with a picture of the broken speaker the day before when I noticed it. I just didn't make it important enough to address it with the buyers right away, so I forgot about it. As we were doing the walk through the husband noticed the speaker and asked about it. I told him I didn't know how it happened. I felt very embarrassed at that moment that I hadn't sought for complete transparency immediately. It wasn't outright dishonesty, but I was displaying lack of integrity because I should have brought it to their attention as soon as it came to my attention. I felt a grave need to repent and really examine my level of integrity. I felt great guilt and recommitted to be strict in observing my personal integrity from that time forth. Not an enjoyable experience, but a good learning lesson for me and I am grateful the Lord humbled me in that moment to teach me to be better.
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