I have been reading "Igniting the Moral Courage of America" By: Dean Kilmer. What an intriguing book. A few years ago I was told that integrity is very hard to come by, but if you can obtain it, you have mastered something rare, yet great.
I wanted to share the workbook portion of this book because I found the questions mind opening. You may not agree with my answers and you have the right to agree to disagree. I just wanted to share them with you. If you would like to comment and answer a few questions yourself or discuss my answers, feel free.
I. Discuss the following passages:
A. Proverbs 22:1: "A good name is more desirable then great riches; to be esteemed is better then silver or gold"
1. If given the choice between a good reputation and one million dollars, which do you think most people would take? Why?
2. Now that you have given the "church answer" which would you take?
My answers:
1. With the society we live in today I wouldn't think for one moment about this question. I know people would choose a million dollars. Why, well because we live in a world of greed and fame. We feel that as long as we walk into a room with a 500.00 bag on our arm or 200.00 shoes on our feet then we are already accepted. Or better yet, we have this pride of being better then the next. No one is concerned about their reputation, why would they be when cars, purses, clothing, jewelry, etc speaks for them. Wow, that's a sentence worth reading again. Some of us are that self conscious that we allow material things to replace our own self.
2. What would I take. Well this I did pause for a moment before answering, because as that million dollars does look life changing, I still choose to think smart. Common sense would tell me that being a person of good reputation will eventually take you to where you desire and give you what you deserve. I'm bound to think that you might not deserve a million dollars, but something else on that level will be given to you as your good reputation pays for itself. It's one of those "it will come back to you in folds".
B. Psalm 15:1-5
1. What does it mean to have a blameless walk?
2. How does a person speak truth from the heart?
3. Do you think it is strange that a righteous person despises a vile man?
My answers:
1. A blameless walk is humble, nothing attaches itself to you. Not the good, nor the bad. When you do good there isn't a need to brag; however understand the difference between bragging and sharing. When you do bad there isn't a worry about what others have to say, you don't claim perfection and your mistakes don't hinder you.
2. The heart has the ability to be broken, but I don't believe it has the ability to lie. When a heart has been bruised it speaks raw truth. If it hasn't been bruised it speaks innocent truth. Either way you get the truth.
3. No, I don't think its rare. To despise someone does not indicate that you hate them, what it does say is that you have no interest in being like them. We all know the best thing we can do for ourselves is surround ourselves with like minded people and/or people that will take us higher then we already are.
Thank you for taking the time to read my answers. I have 8 more workbook sessions to complete as I read through this book. If they move me to share them with you I will.
(c) 2011 Ebony Larijani
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