29 - Honesty The Best Policy

Once during recess time, Bhai was sitting in the office with a teacher. Meanwhile, the teacher called for the peon and asked him to go to market to buy something. The peon asked -Bhai, ‘Sir, I am going to the market. Do you want anything?' Bhai replied, ‘Since it is recess time and you are going to market, I am asking... Please take this money.' The peon asked, ‘What is to be bought?' Bhai said, ‘Two envelopes and a few pins.' Hearing this the teacher said, ‘Oh! Bhai, there are many envelopes lying in the cupboard and here are the pins.' Bhai said, ‘I know about it.' The teacher said, ‘Then, why are you ordering for more? Why do you give your money?' Bhai said, ‘I want them for personal use.'

The teacher was puzzled, ‘But why are you buying from outside! Please take from the cupboard.' The peon informed, ‘Sir always asks me to buy from outside.' Bhai explained, ‘I am not going to use them for school work. But I am going to use them for personal purpose. I cannot use the objects belonging to school for my personal use.' The teacher said, ‘So what? We are working here. By using such small things, we are not going to harm.' Bhai argued, ‘We are working here, so what? It does not entitle us to use the objects belonging to school for our personal use.' The teacher couldn't understand, ‘But where is the question of misuse? It is not going to harm the school, if we use an envelope or a few pins.'

Bhai declared, ‘I do not agree. It is against my principles of honesty. Forget about paper, envelopes etc. I do not even use pen, pencil belonging to the school for my personal use. There are so many things in the school which could be useful to us. But we should not use them for personal purpose. If we use all of them, definitely the school would go under loss. I believe that we must work with honesty wherever we are working. Honesty does not mean just to teach properly but we must be honest in every conduct. We can teach the students by our conduct. If there is no similarity in our speech and conduct, students are not influenced. They can be inspired by setting an example through our conduct. In future they grow up as honest and responsible citizens.' The teacher confessed, ‘such subtle understanding of honesty could be learnt from you only. Bhai, you are an ideal teacher.’

Difficult words:
Meanwhile - During that time
Puzzled - Confused
Envelope - Cover for a letter
Subtle - Hidden, not obvious

Points to ponder:
- Bhai teaches us that, we must work with total honesty and integrity, wherever we are working.
- A person could be influenced if our speech and conduct resemble each other.

Exercise

Answer the following questions:
1. What did Bhai ask the peon to buy from the market? Why?
2. What did the teacher speak to Bhai about buying the things from outside?
3. Why was Bhai not using the objects belonging to school?
4. What are the views of Bhai about honesty?

Fill in the blanks:
1. I want to use them for _____________ use.
2. It does not________us to use the_________ belonging to the school.
3. I do not use even the___________ belonging to the school for my personal purpose.

Complete the following sentences:
1. If there is no similarity in our speech________________________responsible citizens.