by Rick Boxx for Integrity Resource Center

My three-year-old daughter’s birthday party brought a surprise lesson on integrity. As Rebekah opened the big attractive box, with a beautiful red ribbon, you could see the excitement dance in her eyes as she viewed the new American Girl doll. This finely crafted piece of workmanship was definitely the hit of the party.

As I examined the contents of this box I became keenly aware as to why this company has been so successful in selling expensive dolls. Not only was the doll created with excellence, but it also came with a miniature bear and a book explaining the story behind this doll.

What caught my attention, however, was the level of thought that went into the packaging. The box’s purpose was to house the doll until it arrived at its new home. It was much heavier stock than normal, making it almost indestructible. It also had a special color scheme and ribbon to match the American Girl theme. Every detail of this gift had been addressed to assure total satisfaction. Even the service of this organization was extraordinary.

Perform with excellence

As I pondered the lesson to be learned from this experience, I remembered Proverbs 22:29, “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men.” Providing quality products and services in our vocation reveals our commitment to integrity. Performing with excellence is part of the journey towards integrity.

Does your work measure up to the standard of kings? If not, consider the following actions.

* Survey the end users of your products or services for recommendations.

* Write down what excellence would look like in your work.

* Develop time-specific action plans.

* Implement.

* Return to step one.

Diligently following these steps may someday allow you the pleasure of serving as a role model for others, like American Girls was for me.

Rick Boxx is the President of Integrity Resource Center (IRC), a nonprofit ministry providing biblically-based resources, training and counsel to business and ministry leaders. You can learn more about IRC by visiting their web site at IntegrityResource.org or by emailing.

Originally posted 8/16/2013.