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Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Taco Bell and Integrity

As I am making a major life change, I had the following words sent to me by several folks. It was a quote from a message I delivered 2-1/2 years ago. The text: "What is your integrity worth?'

Here is the context.

I stood in line at a Taco Bell a few years back patiently awaiting my opportunity to order. (Yes, I am a connoisseur of fine dining.) I noticed that the woman in front of me act a bit squeamish and quickly shift down the line. As I completed my order and stood behind her, I overheard her whisper to the person in line with her, “The clerk just gave me a dollar too much change.” They looked at one another, said “Yes!” then gave one another a quick high five.

I thought to myself, “How much is your integrity worth? That woman just told me that she would sell her integrity for $1.00. Her integrity was worth $1.00.

How much is your integrity worth? What value do you place upon it? Where is there the line where you say “I am done”? That is a line I will not cross. If that is how you are planning it, then count me out.”

On the White Album, the Beatles sang,

We all want to change the world.
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out?


For all of their talk about what they wanted to do, they had their line. There was a point where they could go no further.

What is your integrity worth?