Another occasion when Leopold shows his uncompromising integrity is when he becomes the spokesman for margarine. Kate’s company gets the account for a food company and they need a handsome and believable spokesman whose endorsement will give the test audience confidence in the product. Leopold is that man.
All goes well until Leopold actually tastes the product. He is disgusted by the taste and considers it a moral matter. He will not “peddle pond scum to an unsuspecting public.”
Of course this reminds me of my Jesus because – no matter what the stakes were – Jesus was unwilling to compromise His integrity. When Satan tempted him with promises of wealth and power Jesus was unwavering.
“The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.” Luke 4:5-7
Isn’t that kind of like the temptation that Kate was experiencing with her job?
She was up for the promotion to Vice President in charge of the New York office. I’m sure from her vantage point she could see all the advantages that job would bring; more money, more power, and more prestige. When the chips were down, and everything was on the line, she told Leopold, “The stakes are very high for me here.” She wanted him to sell out so that she could have what she wanted.
Leopold resisted her. He said, “What has happened to the world? You have every convenience and every comfort, yet no time for integrity.”
More than any other leading male character, Leopold stands up for what is right. He confronts lies with truth, exposes a fraud, maintains purity outside of marriage, and refuses to compromise his values.
Certainly this reflects the integrity of Christ. Even more than that, Leopold is exactly who he says he is.
No comments:
Post a Comment