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INTEGRITY |
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“The LORD shall judge the people:
judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine
integrity that is in me.” Psalm 7:8
“….according to mine integrity
that is in me.” The Bible definition is:
completeness, fullness, innocence, and simplicity. The Psalmist is asking the Lord to judge him
according to the integrity that he possesses. A deeper look into the definition
will help us to define the character quality of integrity. One dictionary put it this way: “possession of firm principles: the quality of possessing and steadfastly adhering to high moral principles or professional standards. Completeness: the state of being complete or undivided. Wholeness: the state of being sound or undamaged.”
Another said, “Integrity comes from the Greek words 'integritas' and 'integra' meaning whole. It enters into every aspect of one's life. It is a belief system without faltering, no matter how dangerous it is or how unpopular it is with others. It includes: sincerity, keeping one's word and agreements, honesty, truthfulness, ethics, fairness and justice.”
These definitions give a wide scope to the facets of this quality. In so doing, they reveal the depth and width of the expectation of those who claim to have integrity. It is truly a quality rare and valuable.
Several years ago I was challenged to initiate a practice in my life of taking a Bible principle and asking the Lord to teach me not only the meaning, but to also teach me how to implement it into my life. Integrity was one such study. I found that not only did the Lord open my mind to the various nuances of the word, but He took time to challenge me personally by bringing circumstances into my life that forced me to choose between responding in integrity and responding with lesser character. Sometimes it was as simple as telling the truth. Sometimes it was honesty in business decisions. Other times I found myself faced with having to take a Biblical stand in public. Over and over the Lord brought situations before me that made me consider integrity and allowed me to see my own weaknesses. I have never forgotten those weeks of study. Even today I can remember the feelings of fear and anxiety as I was being forced to speak up and stand up for right.
I challenge you to do the same. Just as the Psalmist is opening his life for the Lord’s examination, you, too, must ask yourself – how would I measure up if I stood before the Lord to be judged according to my integrity? Will you take up the challenge?
INTEGRITY
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“And as
for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face
for ever.” Psalm 41:12
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“…upholdest
me in mine integrity…” Integrity creates
position, which is a type of protector and defense. It is a boundary that gives security and
upholds the individual. For example, in
computer language, integrity of information is about how to deal with security
and reliability of the data in the system.
Solid security measures mean that the data will be retained safely until
needed. Integrity thereby creates a security
and confidence.
There
is much to be said about the knowledge that you have done right and are going
right - no guilt, no accusing thoughts, just solid assurance and solid
stance. The old adage of “having your
ducks all in a row” would apply here. A
person of integrity is prepared. He has
a contingency plan and his personal business is secure.
This
type of lifestyle is admirable and desirable.
However, take time to look again at the verse. Ask yourself this question – Is this person’s
base in his own works of integrity or somewhere else? I think you will find that though the Psalmist
is doing his part in living and ordering his life in integrity, he is living
his life before the Lord and basing his life upon the Lord to hold him up. He isn’t living proudly and
self-sufficiently, but rather, humbly and honestly with His God.
There
is no place for pride and an air of self-sufficiency in integrity. The sense of place created by integrity is
one of humility and dependency. It draws
men and gives opportunity to point them to Christ and not ourselves.
Are
you guilty of thinking that you are a “self-made” person? Do you think that you have gotten to where
you are by your own smarts? Integrity
means admitting that we are but stewards responsible to God’s authority.
INTEGRITY
“So he fed them according to the
integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.” Psalm 78:72
God,
knowing the rebellious heart of Israel, still fed and guided them. With skill and integrity He proved himself to
be a loving and merciful God.
He
is a God of integrity. He is true to His
Word. He does not change simply because
the situation gets difficult. He
maintains his principles and keeps his promises. His heart is secure and trustworthy. He is fair and ethical and does not
alter. His Word is settled, and we can
depend upon Him.
We
can trust Him fully. We do not have to
wonder what He is up to. We do not have
to fear that tomorrow we might be disowned.
We do not have to be ashamed or make excuses for Him. He is the same yesterday, today and forever –
wholly dependable. And, he isn’t afraid for us to examine him. Conversely, he challenges us to prove Him –
to put him to the test. He will always
come through with flying colours!
Integrity, therefore, is a
godlike quality. It is also the
character of Christ as we read in II Peter 21-23 “because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an
example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin,
neither was guile found in his mouth: Who,
when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not;
but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously…”If even the Saviour of glory lived in integrity and then entrusted himself to the integrity of God the Father, why should we not even more so?
INTEGRITY
Job makes
for an interesting study in integrity.
Poor old Job was tested beyond measure, but the thing he clung to was
his integrity.
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“And the LORD said unto Satan,
Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the
earth, a perfect and and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth
evil? And still he holdeth fast his
integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without
cause.” Job 2:3
“…holdeth fast his
integrity…” In the face of great trial, instead
of letting go of his religion and cursing God, Job holds it faster than ever.
"Still he holds fast his integrity, as his weapon, and thou canst not
disarm him-as his treasure, and thou canst not rob him of that; nay, thy
endeavours to do it make him hold it the faster; instead of losing ground
by the temptation, he gets ground. Constancy crowns integrity. (Matthew Henry)
I love that – “instead of losing ground by the
temptation, he gets ground.” Integrity
gives Job endurance and hope.
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“Then said his wife unto him, Dost
thou still retain thine integrity? Curse
God, and die.” Job 2:9
Integrity means maintaining your good name
and character. It is having values, being consistent with your values -- not
wavering due to outside influences, but standing strong in how one should live
and believe. It is always doing the right thing even when you know no one else
is looking, or in Job’s case, no one else is supporting you. How sad that his wife was not of the same
calibre. Distress and loss had brought her to abandoning her faith and her God. Job, on the other hand, stood firm in His resolve
saying, “Though He slay me, yet will I
trust Him.” Job 13:15 and “….till
I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.” Job 27:5
Let’s
make a note here. There is a difference
between integrity and stubbornness.
Integrity is based in principle and belief. Stubbornness is based in self and
rebellion. Job is not stubborn, but he
is principled. He is not rebellious, but
totally submitted to God’s righteous judgment of the situation. He knows that staying where God has placed
him, though it is a hard spot, is the place to be. It is the place where God will bless and
honour, and the place where Job can be best used to bring God glory.
Finally
he says, “Let
me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.” Job 31:6
Hard
times test what is really in our core. They can either strengthen our resolve,
or crack our façade. Job was willing to
allow God to test him. What about
you? Are you willing to allow God to
check out your level of integrity? Do hard times create strength in you or do
they cause you to crumble? Are you
willing to go through confusingly hard times solely for the glory of God?
INTEGRITY
Let’s
look at three more verses in Proverbs on integrity before we finish.
“The integrity of the upright shall
guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.” Proverbs 11:3
Integrity
gives direction to life. It refers to
wholeness, a person whose thoughts, words, and actions are congruent, and
therefore not in conflict, a life of harmony, lived according to conviction. Some
would contend that these convictions are completely individual and vary widely
from person to person. That is relativism,
a thought that pervades our society.
But, this would mean that even selfish or cowardly people could be said
to have integrity. However, worthy convictions are based upon ultimate truth –
the truth found in God’s Word. Integrity, then, is a “life in which thoughts,
words, and actions are congruent and conform to ethical principles.”
When
we live by truth and understand the true value of right decisions based upon
truth, we have a solid guide for life.
“Better is the poor that walketh in
his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.” Proverbs 19:1
Integrity
gives dignity and is free. The poor man
and the rich man can have a basis for agreement and an expectation of blessing
as they both live according to Biblical truth.
The truths of Scripture, if applied to our lives, will create an
atmosphere of compassionate concern, honest living, personal confidence, and
strength of character, no matter our social level.
The
Golden Rule, for example, is instructing us to take into account the dignity of
another person, treating them as we would want to be treated. The Bible is full
of such straight forward instruction on the treatment of others, the
expectation of God, and the comparisons between right and wrong, as we see in
Proverbs, which help us to not only make decisions, but also understand the
outcome of our decisions.
Exercising
sound judgment is the ultimate skill of life and that is not determined by our
bank balance, but rather by our understanding and application of the Word of
God. The person of integrity will be
found doing the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, and for the
right reason.
Conversely,
those who choose not to integrate Scriptural directives into their lives will
always find that they are living a disordered and complex life full of foolish
hurts. They will remain focused on the
temporary instead of the eternal and find little satisfaction in life. Integrity will elude them.
“The just man walketh in his
integrity: his children are blessed after him.”
Proverbs 20:7
And,
finally, integrity brings blessing, not only for the person so attuned, but
also for his heritage. His family will
be blessed. They will have a solid,
peaceful and secure home life and will take the teachings of that home into
their own. Let me give you two examples
that show us how important it is for us to live a life of integrity. My grandfather pointed this out to me years
ago.
Jonathan
Edwards was a great preacher of years gone by, he was known as a man of great
integrity. “Edwards's descendants have
had a disproportionate effect upon American culture: his biographer, George
Marsden,
notes that "the Edwards family produced scores of clergymen, thirteen
presidents of higher learning, sixty-five professors, and many other persons of
notable achievements”.
Throughout
the generations his offspring are found in places of prominence and the
blessing of God is upon his family.
Joe
Kennedy was believed to be a bootlegger during the prohibition and made his
fortune on insider trading and stock manipulation. Throughout the generations
his offspring, due to wealth and influence, are also found in places of
prominence, but we do not see the blessing of God upon his family, but rather
the judgment of God.
The
blessing of God is upon those who follow His Word. It is as simple as that. A person of integrity knows this to be true
and is comfortable with the fact that obedience brings blessing. Honouring God creates a platform for God to
honour you, and not only you, but ultimately also your family.
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