You’ve just paid your tithing, and then an unexpected gift shows up in your bank account. Not a computer glitch: there’s a real check behind it. Do you rejoice in this generous blessing, get bills paid off, and share the miracle in your next fast and testimony meeting? Or do you go the extra mile to track down what happened and contact the people behind the deposit to see if there’s a mistake?

Here’s a thank you to those of you who do more than just practice honesty passively but go the extra mile. I got a call from one such person tonight, apparently a married student out in Provo with nearly same name as one of my sons at BYU (first name, last name, and middle initials all match) and with an account at the same bank. He had noticed an unexpected deposit in his bank account. The bank told him it was a real deposit but he wanted to understand the details and sought paperwork from the transaction, and then contacted us to find out if we had perhaps made a mistake. Wow. He could have spent it and we probably would never have known. But thanks to the honesty of this man and his wife, the money will be going to where it was supposed to go.

Kudos to all of you who go are good Samaritans of honesty, putting active effort behind your integrity. It can be disappointing and painful at times, but God bless you for it.

My experience is also a good reminder to not rely on a bank looking up someone’s account information when you make a deposit. City and name can match, and the money can still go to the wrong person, even in small towns like Provo, Utah.

Meanwhile, I’m still waiting for some of that Darkly Dreaming Dexter money to come my way…. My book hasn’t done quite as well as that other guy’s. But that’s another story.