DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT MONDAY - A HEART STARTER #13.

It is said that as the great Michelangelo painted the magnificent frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine chapel, lying on his back for endless hours to finish every detail with great care, a friend asked him why he took such pains with figures that would be viewed from a considerable distance. "After all," the friend said, "Who will notice whether it is perfect or not?" "I will," replied the artist. - Today In The Word.

In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. - Titus 2:7-8.

Well, that’s another weekend gone, and we are starting a new week. Monday’s can be very lethargic, and not easy to get going, so I thought by way of encouragement, that we could have a ‘Heart Starter’ from God, rather than six cups of coffee!

There is nothing employers love more than a good worker, especially one who has integrity, and is a good example in all they do. Employers know that these employees are the best achievers.

What qualities in employees irritate bosses the most? Burke Marketing Research asked executives in 100 of the nation's 1000 largest companies. At the top of the list was dishonesty. Mrac Silbert, whose temporary employee firm commissioned the study, says, "If a company believes that an employee lacks integrity, all positive qualities, ranging from skill and experience to productivity and intelligence, become meaningless."

Six other factors were discovered, making a total of "seven deadly sins" that can cause you to lose your job. They are listed below in decreasing order of irritation value...

1. Irresponsibility, goofing-off and doing personal business on company time.
2. Arrogance, ego problems and excessive aggressiveness. Bosses dislike those who spend more time talking about their achievements than in getting the job done.
3.Absenteeism and lateness.
4. Not following company policy.
5. Failure to follow the rules makes management feel an employee can't be trusted.
6. Whining and complaining.
7. Laziness and lack of commitment and dedication. If you don't care about the firm, they won't care about you. - The Pryor Report.
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Integrity is more than not being deceitful or slipshod. It means doing everything "heartily as unto the Lord" (Col. 3:23). In his book Lyrics, Oscar Hammerstein II points out one reason why, a reason Christians have always known:

"A year or so ago, on the cover of the New York Herald Tribune Sunday magazine, I saw a picture of the Statue of Liberty . . . taken from a helicopter and it showed the top of the statue's head. I was amazed at the detail there. The sculptor had done a painstaking job with the lady's coiffure, and yet he must have been pretty sure that the only eyes that would ever see this detail would be the uncritical eyes of sea gulls.

He could not have dreamt that any man would ever fly over this head. He was artist enough, however, to finish off this part of the statue with as much care as he had devoted to her face and her arms, and the torch and everything that people can see as they sail up the bay. . .

When you are creating a work of art, or any other kind of work, finish the job off perfectly. You never know when a helicopter, or some other instrument not at the moment invented, may come along and find you out. “ - Oscar Hammerstein II.

Wow! Now that our hearts are beating regularly, let’s consider what we have just read over a cup of Java, and ask the Lord to help us to have integrity, and set a fine example.

Loving Father, I thank you for the beautiful weekend that I had. Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit to have integrity, and to be a good example for others to follow, that I may bring glory to your name. Use me Lord, to encourage others by my example. In the wonderful name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY