The story is told of a teacher who was quizzing her students about the products being manufactured in a nearby building. "Who can tell me what is manufactured in that plant?" she inquired, pointing toward the factory visible from the classroom window.

Quickly a small lad raised his hand and named a number of products. The teacher, amazed at his answer, said, "That is correct, but how did you know?"

"That's easy," replied the boy. "My father works there, and that's what he brings home in his lunch pail every night."

This may seem humorous, but it carries serious consequences; for the boy had unwittingly disclosed the dishonest act of his father, and by its repetition had already erroneously been taught by example that such an act was all right.

Honesty

Recently a newspaper carried an article entitled, "What Is Honesty?" The question is akin to "What is truth?" In this article an inquirer wrote: "My husband and I have a friend whom we have both idolized because of his high standards of conduct. We have always felt that not only did he try to persuade others to live the truly good life, he did this himself. He has been an inspiration to us.

"The other day . . . he remarked, 'You know, I am not sure I know what honesty is any more.'

"We all felt like gulping with surprise. I do feel that society today . . . presents a dozen temptations to youth . . . But is this true also of highly educated, morally motivated, mature men and women today?

"Is it so difficult to know the difference between right and wrong, honesty and dishonesty? If so, where are we heading?"

The columnist in response suggests, "There is no . . . need to despair . . . for he is apparently thinking and trying to choose the right—and, no doubt, to do it." (Mary Marker column, Deseret News, March 13, 1967.)

Note here the tendency to perceive everything as relative, suggesting there is no standard test for honesty or truth. The scriptural definition of truth suggests reality and constancy. ". . . truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come"  D&C 93:24

When we think of honesty, the expression "Honesty is the best policy" quickly comes to mind. Someone has wisely challenged this adage by asserting: "Honesty isn't the best policy. It isn't any kind of a policy. It is a state of mind, or else it isn't honesty." Honesty must be an integral part of a man's every thought and action, to be honesty. History is replete with evidences of this fact.

Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, came face to face with the question when the excited mob brought to him the Master and asked Pilate to indict him. Jesus stood before Pilate in the hall of judgment. "Pilate . . . said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Truth

"Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all"  John 18:37-38

And here Pilate stated the truth he sought. But he added a word that many add when they find that honesty and truth are to them socially relative policies and not really integral parts of their character. Not willing to admit that honesty could stand alone, Pilate added to his truthful declaration of the innocence of the Savior the weakening conjunction but—"But ye have a custom"  John 18:39and gave in to the mob. Pilate seems to have compromised his position because of public pressure. In this respect he was not so different from many today who advocate and practice that which is expedient for themselves.

In the Acts of the Apostles we read:

". . . the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul . . . they had all things common . . .

"Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

"And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

"And . . . Barnabas . . . a Levite . . .

"Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet"  Acts 4:32,34-37

"But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

"And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet."

And Peter, perceiving that Ananias was viewing honesty only in a socially acceptable sense and not as an integral part of his character, said: "Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

"Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

"And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost . . .

"And the young men arose, wound him up . . . and buried him.

"And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

"And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

"Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

"Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost"  Acts 5:1-10

Barnabas' example indicates a wholesome state of mind. Without reservation he sold his land and gave the full amount, in honesty, he simply and truthfully did what was in his mind and heart.

But the state of mind of Ananias and his wife Sapphira was the thinking: yes, we believe, we want to belong, but we will only go part way. Peter will not know the difference, so we will hold back some for ourselves." They simply rationalized that it is all right to be dishonest as long as no one knows. Honesty cannot be compromised; it requires the full and free consent of the mind. People who pursue the course of Ananias and Sapphira, while they may not die as suddenly, will just as surely receive the same reward, unless they repent.

It is difficult to believe that men and women have strayed so far from true values that they need to ask, "What is honesty?" It is because they are allowing the pressures of a material society to influence them, and thus their senses become dull.

The ten laws

It may be unwise for me to try to set up universal standards of honesty. I can do that for myself, as you can do for yourselves, but the Lord through his prophets has not left this subject untouched. We can begin with Moses, through whom the Lord gave the Ten Commandments, which include "Thou shalt not steal" and "Thou shalt not bear false witness"  Ex. 20:15-16 But they are not alone. Every one of the commandments requires the correct state of mind to live honestly and truthfully. The Lord further commanded: "Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.

"And ye shall not swear by my name falsely . . .

"Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired . . .

"Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.

"Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have . . ."  Lev. 19:11-13,35-36

The prophet King Benjamin said, ". . . remember, that whosoever among you borroweth of his neighbor should return the thing that he borroweth, according as he doth agree, or else thou shalt commit sin"  Mosiah 4:28

Notice that these prophets did not add to their statements on honesty any conjunction as did Pilate with his truthful statement of the Savior's innocence, which he followed by the condemning, "But ye have a custom"  John 18:39

Honesty and truth, foundations of character

To be honest, to adhere to truth, is not something to be conditioned by the situation of the moment. Honesty is the very foundation of character. Dishonesty takes upon itself many forms, some of which are the following, all condemned by God: larceny, kidnapping, misappropriation, plagiarizing, misrepresentation, purloin, swindling, usurping, misleading, embezzlement, graft, lying, concealing, cribbing, extortion, falsifying, forging, absconding, trickery, fraud, deceit, infidelity, and shoplifting.

As to the latter, it is reported: "The professional shoplifter, it seems, is being elbowed aside by swarms of amateurs. So says the Northwestern Life Insurance Company, which also predicts that final reports for 1966 will show a new shoplifting record—well over three billion dollars worth of goods. Leading the amateur looters are juveniles and housewives, most of them from well-off families. The ultimate losses extend well beyond the store. More restrictions are imposed, more conveniences are eliminated, shopping becomes more of a chore. The problem was summed up in a sign spotted by one of Northwestern National's staffers on a candy vending machine: Please be honest—we know you can beat the machine. If we continue to lose money the machine will need to be removed, as we cannot afford to buy another one." (Allan R. Dodd, Printers' Ink, Vol. 53, No. 11, p. 213.)

An act of dishonesty immediately brands an individual. He is not to be trusted any more. His name is marked. His happiness may be ruined. His path begins to be strewn with thorns. How honorable would Pilate have been had he had the courage and state of mind to resist that which is not honest.

But Pilate lacked courage. Today's temptations demand the correct state of mind and courage to resist the cry of the mob, which Pilate found too much for him. Unless a serious attempt is made in the home to teach and practice honesty and implant it in the minds and characters of our families, grave problems are ahead for us. A few dishonest acts by parents, such as an item in a lunch pail taken from the employer, plant the seed of rationalization that will destroy true character. The Lord requires allegiance from the whole man. Plain, ordinary, simply honesty as was displayed by Barnabas is required to please God.

May we do this I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.