In this post, I continue to feature important Quaker values called the SPICES.  SPICES is an acronym for Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality and Stewardship.

A Life Lived with Honesty

In Quakerism and for me, integrity means a life lived with honesty.  It requires following a path of upright ethics, unbending principles as well as truth seeking and being.  When we are transparent with pure motives rather, than a  personal agenda, then and only then can we have true integrity.

This value is always so incredibly important; and could especially use a boost given the current state of events in our world. Open any news page and you’ll be bombarded with evidence that we have less trust of one another across our society.  Truth, transparency with accountability is a value that could help “heal the land”.

It requires action though.  The action of living a life of integrity demands that we walk in truth.  We must speak the truth.  And we must live it.  Frankly, this can be hard when we can feel that we’re walking alone.  So in some ways, integrity is the opposite of self-concerned and self-serving.

“So let your lives preach, let your light shine.”
Quote from George Fox, Founder of Quakerism

As a plan counselor and salesperson at Friends Life Care, I often hear that the integrity of our organization is one of the key reasons why people choose to become members. Among all the SPICES, integrity is a truly hallmark value that defines Quakers.  Integrity of the Quaker values provides for a high level of trust that we will do what we said we will do.  It is a virtue that we will do the right and ethical thing.

There is an organization headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania called American Friends Service Committee (AFSC).  It is an organization devoted to bringing Quaker values into action.  On their website, it explains heir “work is based on the belief in the worth of every person, and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice.”

As this group further discusses truth and integrity, they suggest several thought starters for people to use to guide their path.  They call them queries.  Source:  Integrity | American Friends Service Committee (afsc.org)

Queries to Ponder

• How is my work in harmony with the truth as I understand it?
• In what ways do my interactions with other people reflect my beliefs and values?
• How can I listen with an open mind to others’ experiences?
• How can I speak my truth so that those who disagree with me can hear it?
• And how well do I bring my inner life and outer life into wholeness?

Let me know what your thoughts about these queries might be.  Leave a comment for this blog post.

If you would like to learn more about the SPICES or Quakerism in general, check out the video series from Friends Journal called QuakerSpeak. They have many videos on YouTube to watch,  In addition, you can subscribe to receive new videos directly from QuakerSpeak.

Welcome to QuakerSpeak || Season 8 – YouTube

Contributed by:

Joylyn Williamson, Inside Sales Manager

Joylyn joined Friends Life Care in 2017 as a sales manager and plan counselor on the sales and marketing team. She brings many years of experience with inside sales in both business-to-business and consumer.  Previously she held positions selling to vertical markets like the federal government and meeting tough sales quotas for technology and IT offerings.  She is excited to be a part of Friends Life Care and appreciates working in an organization guided by Quaker values.

Originally from Southern California, Joylyn has called the east coast home for over 20 years. A couple years back, she relocated her father from California to her home in Pennsylvania.  He’ll be 90 in June and she now manages his care as he has a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. He is her favorite person; and she finds it an honor to care for the man who once took care of her.

Joylyn earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Drama, TV and Film and completed some graduate studies in Communications at Regent University. Joylyn volunteers with a local theatre company performing onstage or working behind the scenes.