Someone I spoke to recently, a committed Brethren businessman, told me that during his career he had a number of businesses ranging from an auto service station, to trainer sales, to a food catering service. He always succeeded where others seemed to be failing. I asked this Brethren businessman to what he attributed his success. Everyone knew they could trust me. For Brethren, honesty is the only policy, and in fact, honesty usually pays.
Brethren are often successful in business.
However, honesty doesn't always pay. In fact, sometimes those who are most honest are taken advantage of by others. Brethren have been willing to suffer persecution rather than deviate from their conviction of honesty. Deeply committed Brethren have been trustworthy because their neighbors knew they were not being prudential or pragmatic in their decisions to be honest. They were seeking Christlike truthfulness.