Honest Abe, Honest Bobby - The One Year Father-Daughter Devotions

Honest Abe, Honest Bobby

On this date in 1809, the sixteenth president of the United States was born in a log cabin in rural Kentucky. Abraham Lincoln would eventually end slavery, unite a nation torn by civil war, and deliver some of history’s most memorable speeches. Of course, the virtue most often ascribed to the man on the five-dollar bill is honesty. “Honest Abe” we call him. A man of integrity.

Speaking of great Americans with a reputation for honesty, do you like golf? Even if you’re not a big fan, you’ve got to love what happened during the first round of the 1925 US Open. Legendary golfer Bobby Jones was preparing to hit out of the rough. While setting up the shot, he accidentally touched the ball with his club. Its movement was so imperceptible that no one noticed but him. Bobby could have ignored it. Instead, he summoned the officials and gave himself a penalty stroke. And wouldn’t you know, he went on to lose the tournament by one stroke! Yet while that self-imposed penalty cost Bobby a championship, his display of honesty and sportsmanship has earned him the respect of countless people to this day.

For Bobby Jones, even one stroke of compromise was too much. As Christians, we should sweat the small stuff too, because the big stuff depends on it. Jesus said so. In Luke 16:10, he told his disciples, “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.”

You don’t have to look far to find folks cutting corners. You may begin to wonder if that’s what it takes to succeed in life. Don’t give in! Even if integrity seems to be as rare as people being born in log cabins, it’s as important as ever. Choose to be the next great American to make honesty part of your legacy!

Daddy-Daughter Time

It’s been said, “Integrity is who you are when no one’s looking.” Do you agree? God watches us all the time. How should that impact our decisions? Have you ever paid a price for doing the right thing? Talk about that. Why do you think a modern athlete would or wouldn’t do what Bobby Jones did? Make a date to play miniature golf together (watch out for the windmill!). As you play, be sure to follow all the little rules.

What’s The Word?

If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.   Luke 16:10