Text- Proverbs 11:3– “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.”
Is there still such a thing as integrity in this world? Are there still people who stay true to their words? Are there still men who live a private life that is in sync with the public life they portray? – Whatever may be your answer to these questions, it really doesn’t matter as much as how you answer the question, “Are you a man of integrity?”
To be frank, we live in an age where there is a sorry lack of integrity. Politicians make campaign promises but upon getting to power, abandon those promises. Companies advertise their goods by making false claims backed up with manipulation techniques. Sadly enough, we all have been caught up with the flow too!
You may ask, how have we been caught up with the flow? I’ll tell you how – These days, people (including you and I) somehow prefer hypocrisy to integrity. You ask a friend “How do I look this morning?”, but deep inside, all you want is a compliment, not the truth! Someone tells you the ‘harsh’ truth, and you take offence at them (obviously, for their integrity; which you may call insensitivity)
I believe the most popular question in the world is “How are you?” but again, this question, most often than not, is devoid of integrity. People ask, not because they’re really concerned, but just out of ‘courtesy’ (that’s even if the courtesy is genuine). So also is the case when people answer- everyone says “fine” even when they evidently are not fine.
My point is, we have missed the mark of integrity by many miles and we need to retrace our steps. We need to do away with every from of hypocrisy and stay away from any form of compromise.
Beloved, as you step out today, let integrity be your watchword – Say only what you mean, and mean whatever you say. Stay true to God at all times, and stay true to yourself both in public galre, and in your private closet.
See to it that the positive witness of your words is not negated by evil desires in your heart, or by wrong actions you portray (especially when no one is watching you).
Let’s see the example of Jesus in Luke 4:1-2 “Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil…”
Notice that Jesus was alone in the wilderness for forty full days, nobody was with him there! If he compromised, who would have known? But for Jesus, the fact that nobody was there wasn’t the point… He remained true to God! He refused to compromise in the secret place… That’s integrity!
Genesis 39 makes us to understand that Joseph was strikingly handsome, so Potiphar’s wife took interest in him, and began to lure him to sleep with her. But Joseph wouldn’t do it; not because he feared being caught, but because he had integrity! See how he responded in Genesis 39:8-9 (MSG):
“Look, with me here, my master doesn’t give a second thought to anything that goes on here—he’s put me in charge of everything he owns. He treats me as an equal. The only thing he hasn’t turned over to me is you. You’re his wife, after all! How could I violate his trust and sin against God?”
Beloved what will be said of you when your integrity is put to test?
PRAYERS
1. Lord, I repent from every form of hypocrisy in my life today in Jesus Name.
2. From today, I make a commitment to do away with every form of hypocrisy and stay away from any form of compromise.
3. Holy Spirit, please prompt my heart per time so that I will not miss the mark of integrity in Jesus Name.
Image Credit: jashow.org