The Seed of Honesty
A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.
Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.
He said, “It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you.”
The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. “I am going to give each one of you a SEED today – one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO.”
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed.
Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn’t have a plant and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by — still nothing in Jim’s pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn’t say anything to his colleagues, however… He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil – He so wanted the seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.
Jim told his wife that he wasn’t going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right.
He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful — in all shapes and sizes.
Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. “My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown,” said the CEO. “Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!”
All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front.
Jim was terrified. He thought, “The CEO knows I’m a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!”
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed – Jim told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, “Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jim!”
Jim couldn’t believe it. Jim couldn’t even grow his seed.
“How could he be the new CEO?” the others said.
Then the CEO said, “One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead – it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!”
Author Unknown - Comment if you know the author
so credit can be given
Honesty pays dividends.
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…and it helps you sleep better too!!!!
Take Care and God Bless 🙂 Kenny T
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Great story!
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Honesty isn’t the best policy; it’s the only policy.
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Absolutely!!! 🙂
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Wow. What an incredible story. Honestly is always best. Thanks for sharing this!
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What a memorable story for teaching courage and honesty. Thank you, Kenny.
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I’m happy you like this!!!!
Take Care and God Bless 🙂 Kenny T
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Great Story. Thanks.
How foolish of the majority of the young executives, they had no idea what the seed was, how could they choose the right substitute ? The fool has said there is no God, the fool built his house upon the sand. How can fools think they can get away with it ? the answer is simple, they are fools !
The wise man is honest, owns there is a Creator God, builds his house on the Rock Christ Jesus, and is honest in all his doings; for he reads “You shall not bear false witness” that is either by spoken word or deceiving action or by silence or lack of action ! Honesty will not save you, but being wise and seeking God in all honesty, with all your heart, will bring you to Him for HE will find you. There is no substitute for Jesus Christ. No other way of salvation, except by HIM (Jesus Christ). Pray for the good and living seed to be planted in your life.
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Thank you for taking the time to bless us with this comment!!!
Take Care and God Bless!!! 🙂 Kenny T
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Wow, this is the first time I’ve heard about this honesty story and great story.
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Hey and thanks for the comment!!!! I have been following your travels and the map you just put up on your blog is awesome!!!
Take Care and God Bless 🙂 Kenny T
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Sometimes we tend to fabricate things so we will look better, important, powerful but truth be told, it is what is in our hearts that really matters. I’ve heard this story once before. It is a good one to show what type of character we should always be–an honest one. 🙂 Take care, Kenny! – Amy 😀
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Caught in a. . . .moment of truth 🙂
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