INTEGRITY
The righteous man walks in his integrity;
His children are blessed after him. (Pr 20:7 NKJV) .
Photo by Daniel McIntosh
Dirt Castle , Turkey – © 03 July 2006
Barnabas Ministries/E.C.H.O.
“Integrity comes when character is tested; keep true and never be ashamed of doing what is right.” - Unknown
"It takes less time to do a thing right than to explain why you did it wrong." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” - John Fitzgerald Kennedy
“Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.” - Alexander Hamilton
“Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the world were watching.” - Thomas Jefferson
“To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice.” - Confucius
.“Those who preserve their integrity remain unshaken by the storms of daily life.” - Unknown INTEGRITY… What is integrity? The above (and following) quotations are common expressions of mankind, yet, God shares with us in Proverbs 20:7 that integrity is how a righteous person will walk. The Young’s Literal Translation (YLT) states “the righteous is walking habitually in his integrity!” Walking habitually… Our daily life style should reflect true integrity, and not just when we feel like it, when it’s convenient, or when time allows, but constantly, continually, or “habitually.” Pr 10:9 tells us that “He who walks with integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will become known.” There is a form of safety when we walk (live) in integrity. How would you rather be known - as one who walks with integrity or as one who is demoralized? After all, walking in integrity is easier to live than not. Consider the words of Mark Twain when he said “If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything.” With integrity lies aren’t told and our memory isn’t tasked with trying to recall what was said or who we told. Mr. Twain also profoundly stated “Deep down in me I knowed it was a lie, and He (God) knowed it. You can't pray a lie - I found that out.” The Lord knows our heart and our intentions. Even if we try to do something that looks good to others, but with ulterior motives, the Father knows our intentions and we can’t hide our lies from Him, after all Adam and Eve couldn’t truly hide when they sinned, even though they tried. Oprah Winfrey once said “real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not.” However, we must realize that even when no one seems to be around to watch and see us, the Lord is still there and see’s everything. HE knows what we did (or didn’t do), and why we chose that path in life. With that in mind, even when we don’t think anyone is watching, the Lord still sees us. And with a heart of integrity we should humbly live according to the scriptures, whether if anyone’s around “to know whether you did it or not.” The David prayed in Psalm 25:21 “Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You.” In Christ is where we truly find integrity. Proverbs 11:3 shares “the integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.” Those who walk in integrity (habitually) brings not only blessing to themselves but to their offspring as well for “the righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him” (Pr 20:7). “Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.” - Mark Twain How do others think of us when they see us? Are we labeled as one who walks in integrity, or abounds in foolishness? “In all things see that you are an example of good works; holy in your teaching, serious in behavior, saying true and right words, against which no protest may be made, so that he who is not on our side may be put to shame, unable to say any evil of us.” Tit 2:7-8 (BBE) Oh may our life speak loudly with integrity and not our speech with insincerity. Next week we ask “How then can man be justified with God...?” (Job 25:4 kjv) A few web-links on “integrity” http://www.milmin.com/resources/leadership/LeadershipStudies/1-Integrity.htm http://www.afa.org/magazine/feb1996/0296integrity.asp http://www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/father/features/showedup.html http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/pubs/US%20Core%20Values.pdf (USAF Core Values: Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in All We Do) http://www.af.mil/library/viewpoints/secaf.asp?id=190 Above quotes were found at following sights: http://www.motivational-inspirational-corner.com/motivational_inspirational_quotes.html http://quotations.about.com/cs/inspirationquotes/a/Integrity1.htm http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mark_twain.html http://www.artexpressed.com/IntegrityWave.html http://www.artexpressed.com/EUIntegrityLH.html | 
