My mother once told me a story I will never forget.
There was this wealthy farmer in the village . He grew many things, but his biggest pride was maize. Every harvest season, he invited villagers to help. He paid them well, so people always showed up.
One year, the farmer had his biggest harvest yet. The farm was far from his home, so workers carried the maize to a store where it was weighed. Their pay depended on how much they carried and how many trips they made. The more you carried, the more you earned.
That day, they worked from morning until evening. When the farmer saw the harvest was too much for the day, he asked them to work extra hours. They agreed, happy for the chance to earn more. By the time darkness came, the work was finally done.
The tired workers gathered at the store, their faces lit with smiles. They knew they had made more money than usual. But before paying them, the farmer made one last request.
“I know you are tired,” he said, “but go back one last time. Harvest one final load. Carry as much as you can, because this will be your last trip before payment.”
The workers obeyed. Under the dim moonlight, some filled their bags with maize. Others, thinking no one would see, filled theirs with stones or maize leaves. When they returned, the farmer asked each person to stand beside their bag. He paid them their wages, then said, “Tonight, you will also take home what you harvested in your last trip.”
That was the real test of honesty.
Some who worked hard during the day went home with bags full of stones. Some carried leaves. But the few who stayed honest walked away with maize that could feed their families for months.
This is who we are. Many times we think no one is watching, so we cut corners. We cheat those we love. We shortchange our families. We trick our employers. But in the end, we always carry home the bag we filled ourselves.
The Bible says, “What you sow, you will reap.”
Ask yourself,if today was your last trip to the farm, what would you carry home?
Right by Samuel Kofi
