THOUGH IT COSTS, ALWAYS DO WHAT’S RIGHT

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5

“I put on right living as if it were clothing; I wore fairness like a robe.” Job 29:14 NCV

Adrian Thomas, the third-generation owner of Thomas Drugstore in Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, realized he was tired of losing friends to cancer and heart disease. For ninety-six years, his family had sold tobacco products in the front of the store and health products in the back. As a matter of integrity and conscience, he just could not do both anymore. Therefore, Thomas, his employees, and family members loaded up thousands of dollars’ worth of tobacco products into boxes and took them to a parking lot to be burned. To get the fire going, Thomas first set a match to his state license to sell tobacco. Then he used the burning document to set flame to the pile of boxes. As he watched the stash go up in smoke, Thomas told his family and employees that he could no longer put dollars and cents above the health of his patrons. Most of us talk about the importance of doing the right thing even when it costs us. But Adrian Thomas is one of those rare individuals who “put his money where his mouth was.” In other words, he put people ahead of profits. King Solomon said: “The integrity of the upright shall guide them” (Pr11:3 KJV). And Job the patriarch said: “I put on right living as if it were clothing; I wore fairness like a robe.” Prayer: “Lord, in my dealings with others, help me to always put principle above profit and popularity and to honor Your name in all that I do. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”