Author Mark Twain wrote, “If you always tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” Wise words! Hi, I’m Tom Ellsworth from Sherwood Oaks Christian Church with a minute message.
In the early years of the 18th century, George Washington was so highly respected by our nation’s populace that some actually thought he might just be divine. That, of course, that wasn’t true, but some persisted in fostering the idea. Mason Weems, who had been a minister, decided to help remind people of Washington’s humanness. So Weems crafted a series of fictitious stories about our first President, the most memorable of which involved a cherry tree. Weems had hoped that painting a picture of Washington cutting down such a valuable tree would demonstrate that he was as mischievous as any young boy. The story backfired; people focused on the boy’s honesty more than the loss of the cherry tree and Washington’s reputation for greatness continued to grow.
The secret to greatness always involves honesty. The book of Proverbs shares this wisdom, “Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth.” So stick with the truth; be honest – and you will never have to remember anything else!