The Value of Honest Living
By Jessy Jacob
Life was never meant to be easy. Every small thing we earn in this world comes through effort and sacrifice. Even to earn ten rupees, a rickshaw puller must struggle under the heat and exhaustion of the day. To secure a good job, one must study hard, spend sleepless nights learning, and pass difficult examinations. Nothing valuable comes without effort.
Some people are born into families with wealth already built by previous generations. Their struggle may be different, because they are not trying to survive but trying to expand what already exists. But for most people, survival itself requires strength. Even to eat daily food, we need health, energy, and the ability to work. Then why should we fear hard work? Why should we depend entirely on others for money when we are capable of earning with dignity?
Today, I see many people becoming shameless in their hunger for money. Some no longer feel embarrassed to ask from others repeatedly without trying to stand on their own feet. Some are willing to lie, betray, hurt, or destroy relationships for financial gain. In extreme greed, humanity itself disappears. But money earned without honesty never brings peace.
When I look at nature, I see how beautifully God has created everything. Even a single flower is designed with such detail, color, patience, and perfection. Every creation in this world carries care and purpose. If God can create the world with such harmony, why can’t human beings learn to live with the same sincerity and goodness? Why do some people disturb families, break relationships, and destroy lives only for selfish enjoyment? No wrong action can escape the laws of life forever. God sees everything, and karma eventually returns to every person.
To build a beautiful house takes years of effort, sacrifice, and dreams. For many people, owning a home is one of the greatest goals in life. People spend their entire lifetime working honestly to create security for their families. Yet there are others who try to steal, cheat, or falsely claim what belongs to someone else. Such actions may appear successful for a short time, but no one can escape the consequences of their deeds forever. The results of karma may not appear immediately, but they will surely come one day.
In my own life, I continue trying to work hard and encourage others to work honestly as well. As a single mother, I have faced many struggles while living away from my son and missing him deeply every day. Life has never been easy for me. Even now, because of wars and global instability, the Oil & Gas industry has slowed down, projects have reduced, and hiring has become difficult. But instead of depending completely on my parents, even though they are willing to support me, I chose to search for work and build side hustles to earn on my own. I believe dignity comes from effort, not dependency.
There is only one thing I truly wish to tell people: if God has already created so much beauty, abundance, and opportunity for humanity, then we have no right to destroy the harmony of life, hurt innocent people, or spread violence and death. Human beings were created to build, protect, and care for one another — not to destroy the world that was given to us.
— Jessy Jacob
