Summary

The article emphasizes the importance of integrity and compassion over judgment and hypocrisy, using the story of a windshield cleaner named John to illustrate how society often misjudges individuals without understanding their circumstances.

Abstract

The narrative centers on a man named John, a windshield cleaner known for his friendly demeanor and work ethic despite the weather. The author contrasts John's positive outlook and self-reliance with the disparaging comments made by office workers who criticize him without knowing his background or challenges. The article criticizes the lack of empathy and the tendency to judge others harshly while ignoring one's own faults, suggesting that compassion and understanding are more constructive. It also reveals that John, despite his humble job, came from a well-off family and had attended a prestigious school, challenging the readers' preconceptions. The author encourages readers to adopt integrity as a guiding principle in their interactions with others, fostering unity and personal growth rather than separation through judgment.

Opinions

The author admires John for his integrity, friendliness, and resilience, viewing him as a positive influence on others.
There is a critical view of those who make presumptuous and negative comments about John and his colleagues, highlighting their hypocrisy and lack of empathy.
The article suggests that people should consider their own shortcomings before criticizing others, as per the biblical reference from Matthew 7:3–5.
It is implied that society often fails to recognize the struggles of individuals who are down on their luck and that compassion should replace judgment.
The author believes that everyone has made mistakes and that no one is above reproach, emphasizing the need for understanding and support rather than blame.
The revelation about John's background serves to subvert the readers' potential prejudices and underscores the idea that everyone deserves respect and empathy.
The article advocates for a shift in perspective, from negative judgments to proactive efforts to help and understand others, as a way to live with integrity.

Integrity: Let It Pack A Big Punch In Your Life

‘In looking for people to hire, look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don’t have the first one, the other two will kill you.’

In the city where I live there are a few men who used to stand by the traffic lights, buckets of water and cloths in their hands, ready to clean windshields each time the lights changed. One, in particular, let’s call him John, was my favorite.

Ours is a cool climate city, so you can imagine the different weather conditions these fellas worked under. No matter, be it rain, hail or shine, John was always there with a big friendly smile that took over the best part of his face.

I tried always to have some coins in the glove box, just in case I was lucky enough to have him to clean my window. Somehow his smile started my day on a positive. Besides, he always did a great job of my windscreen.

On a couple of occasions, I pulled up at the lights, and he approached my car. I didn’t have any coins and apologized to him. ‘No worries!’ he said each time. ‘I’ll clean them anyway. You have a nice day love,’ and he’d tap the bonnet of my car as I drove away.

It was hard not to respect John, articulate, friendly, with a sunny personality that was hard to beat, I couldn’t help but wonder about his background.

Yet I heard others at work making disparaging comments about John and his mates. Their speculation on how much he and his cronies were making between light changes, was endless, and cringe-worthy.

Imagine the cash they’re pocketing
Need to get a bloody job
Must be making a squillion
And not a cent in tax paid

As I said, totally cringe-worthy

Who said they paid no taxes? That was a presumption, their presumption.

And maybe getting a bloody job was not so easy.

And whose business is it if they do, or not?

I didn’t ever hear anyone say anything positive, like, that at least they were not relying on Social Security. Would that would have been too much to consider?

The easiest response, from the others at work, was no response, and that’s because we had been through it all before. The idea that people are often dealt a tough blow, and that at least John and his mates were out doing something, was met with derision.

Somehow, these paragons of virtue seemed to get a lot of satisfaction by playing the righteous.

It’s interesting that some people can see what needs changing in another person, yet fail to notice warts in their own choices.

‘Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:3–5)

The thing is, these same people had plenty of time to spend tearing someone apart, in work time.

The same people didn’t mind using office paper for personal use.

The same people would go off for coffee…a long coffee, in-office time.

Or come into work and hang around chatting.

It’s easy to judge.

It’s easy to blame.

It’s easy to be judge and jury.

It’s easy to shirk compassion.

What we often fail to factor in, is that people of good heart can be down on their luck. There is not one person on this earth who hasn’t made mistakes.

There is not one person who hasn’t stumbled into territory that they’d prefer others not to know about.

And sad to say. there are no paragons of virtue.

We can all fall into the trap of judging. It’s an easy option and requires little preparation, but there’s an easy way to arrest this. Just stop, and re-frame in your head, what you were about to say. Instead, they need to get a bloody job, say, is there any way we might be able to help them? But don’t just re-frame the words. Change your tone too. You will be amazed by how differently you feel inside.

John died a year or so back. I’m guessing he would have been mid-forties. That’s when I learned, through the local newspaper, that his parents were top-ranking public servants, and that John had attended one of the best private schools in the city.

Where he had gone wrong I can only speculate on. Still, I’m guessing that when we pass into the afterlife, most of us won’t rate a mention, give or take in the obituaries, in a local newspaper.

John was clearly a well-respected figure. He touched others in many ways and is missed.

So now, if you are ever tempted to be negative about how someone lives their lives, kick that negativity out of your mind, and instead of blame and derision, try compassion and understanding instead. People will like you better for it.

This is integrity in action. You can’t just have a wee slice of integrity. Integrity should frame your thinking.

‘Through judging, we separate. Through understanding, we grow.” `Doe Zantamata