I have been reading the Old Testament as of late and am finding all sorts of nuggets hidden in there. I have decided that after I finish the Bible at the end of this year1, I am going to go back and read the Old Testament several times!

I was reading this morning in 2 Kings and came across a good scripture. A little background is in order. Josiah is now king and he happens to be a righteous king (vs. 2). Both his father, Amon, and his Grandfather, Manassah, were evil kings (21:20), but somehow Josiah turns out to be a good king2.

Solomon’s temple is in ruins and Josiah decides to repair the temple. He sends a servant to the temple and tells his to have the high priest take the silver that has been collected at the door from the people and give it to carpenters, builders and masons to repair the temple (2 Kings 22:3-6). And then this verse:

7 Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.

The honesty and integrity with which the workers at the temple could be trusted really struck me this morning as I was reading. It reminds me of the story of Zoram at the beginning of the Book or Mormon. After he found out that Nephi was not Laban and decided to go into the wilderness with them he made and oath and Nephi’s “fears did cease concerning him” (1 Nephi 4:37). Zoram was a man of integrity, as were the workers at the temple in this day. There was no need to keep track of everything they did, or doubt their word. They would be faithful.

I guess my goal for today is to be as honest with my fellow beings as possible so I can be trusted of the Lord.

What about you? Can you think of any other stories in the scriptures or your own life where honesty and integrity were the keys to success and blessings?

Footnotes:
  1. This is my current scripture reading goal[↩]
  2. Probably because of his mother :) [↩]