Living With Integrity

Chuckle: "These days, I spend a lot of time thinking about the hereafter. I go somewhere to get something and then wonder what I'm here after."

Quote: “The most important persuasion tool you have in your entire arsenal is integrity.” --Zig Ziglar

"Save me, O Lord, from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue" (Psalm 120:2 NIV). "If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect (mature) man, able to keep his whole body in check" (James 3:2b NIV). “The integrity of the upright guides them . . .” (Proverbs 11:3 NIV).

A pastor preached a sermon on honesty one Sunday. On Monday morning he took the bus to get to his office. He paid the fare, and the driver gave him back too much change. As he got off the bus he said to the driver, "You have made a mistake. You have given me too much change." And he proceeded to give him back the extra money. The driver smiled and said, "There was no mistake. I was at your church yesterday and heard you preach on honesty, So I decided to put you to a test this morning. –Illustrations for Biblical Preaching; Edited by Michael P. Green

A few years ago, President Bush, speaking on Wall Street, took business leaders to the woodshed because of their lack of integrity. In our day, we see many examples of a lack of integrity, often among those in positions of trust. Confidence in the economy is based on trust of business leaders. We have seen in the past what a lack of trust can do to major corporations and the stock market.

A lack of integrity has become a way of life for some in our society, and Christians are not immune to Satan's power in this area. A lack of integrity is like a cancer eating away at the character of a Christian. And it can occur as subtly as a slow-growing cancer in our bodies. We can become oblivious to it as it grows and destroys our fellowship with other believers, our commitment to serving God, and our witness for Christ. It can completely destroy our credibility as Christians.

Webster defines integrity this way: "The quality of being honest and trustworthy; honesty; or uprightness." Words translated "integrity" in the Bible have these meanings: simplicity, sincerity of heart and intentions, truthfulness, uprightness, blameless. Simply put, integrity is more than just telling the truth -- integrity is doing what is right, and doing what you said you would do. Integrity means keeping your promises. It means that your words and your actions are the same.

Let’s remember that integrity is an absolute -- either you are a person of integrity in all things or you are a person without integrity. In this day of "relativism," this truth is alien to many who believe that what is right depends upon the situation at the time. But absolute integrity is at the center of Christian ethics and character.

Love, Jerry & Dotse