Living With Integrity
May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you. Psalm 25:21 (New International Version, NIV)
You don’t hear too many people talking about integrity these days. Politicians are certainly not using the word, and neither are the news media, corporate leaders, or famous people. And sadly, you don’t hear about it often enough in church.
Integrity is sincerity of heart before God that is made evident by how we live- whether in public or when we are alone. When our hearts are right before the Lord, we truly want to do things His way, whether others see it or not- because we know that He sees it all. Integrity is tied to our love for God. When we love God, we want to do what is right.
Walking in integrity is often inconvenient. Consider this scenario:
You go to the store and you buy a carload of groceries. You live an hour away, and when you get home, you realize, they didn’t charge you for a loaf of bread. What would you do? Would you think of it as a blessing from God? Wow- manna from heaven! No, a heart of integrity will not allow you to keep something you did not pay for. A heart of integrity would prompt you to call the store and attempt tp pay for the item- or maybe even go back to the store. If the store manager says to keep it with their compliments, that is their option and you are good to go. You did what was right and they responded in generosity. However, to fail to follow-up on the bread would be the same as stealing it- and a person of integrity would not have peace about that.
If you find it easy to go the easy route instead of doing what is right, maybe you need to check the condition of your heart. If you are able to tell “white lies” and speak half-truths without a twinge of conscience, there is a definite heart problem. The Lord will help you check the condition of your heart, if you will ask Him. King David did, and that’s why the Lord said he was a man after God’s own heart.
Probe me, God, know my heart; try me, know my thoughts. Psalm 139:23 (New American Bible Revised Edition, NABRE)
Integrity is important to God because it reflects the state of your heart. Go to Him regularly to make sure your heart is upright before Him.
