“Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place” (Ps 51:6).
History tells us that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of the Sherlock Holmes popular mystery series once played a practical joke on 12 respected and well-known men he knew. He sent out 12 telegrams with the same message on each: “Flee at once. All is discovered.” Within 24 hours, they had all left the country!
Well, it’s obvious that these men had something to hide or cover. Their actions revealed their character and they fled. This kind of lifestyle not only robs us of our potential but it robs future generations of potential as well…it creates a legacy that you don’t want to leave behind. Check out some of these examples… Around 1923, the most powerful men of the day ruled the world of money:
– Charles Schwab, president of the largest steel company in America.
– Samuel Insull, president of the largest utility company.
– Howard Hopson, president of the largest gas company.
– Richard Whitney, president of the New York Stock Exchange.
– Albert Fall, Secretary of Interior in President Harding’s cabinet.
– Jesse Livermore, the great “bear” on Wall Street.
– Ivan Krueger, head of the world’s greatest monopoly.
– Leon Fraser, president of the Bank of International Settlements.
These men were “movers and shakers,” in their day. They had it all…money, power and influence. But within 25 years of having it all things begin to unravel and their life was spinning out of control.
– Charles Schwab, left behind an insolvent estate with debts and obligations totaling $1.7 million.
– Samuel Insull, died of a heart attack in a Paris subway station with 20 cents in his pocket.
– Howard Hopson, died in a sanitarium
– Richard Whitney had just been released from Sing-Sing prison.
– Albert Fall died at home, broke.
– Jesse Livermore committed suicide a week after Thanksgiving in 1940.
– Ivan Krueger committed suicide.
– Leon Fraser committed suicide.
Something was lost in the process of their gain and in their life. I say it was the result of their inner man. Truth is always established first in the inner man and in that place is where the integrity battles are won or lost. I trust today that you will make a lifestyle of living by integrity. You can’t separate what you do from who you are. Whatever is on the inside eventually is revealed on the outside.
Chuck Pelham
Sources: Paul J. Meyer, My Work Is My Ministry, Paul J. Meyer Resources, Os Hillman, devotions, volume 2
