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I'm sorry I haven't been posting much lately. I have been extremely busy with some different things so I just haven't had much time. However, over the last week or so some different situations have come up that have got me thinking about the subject of 'integrity'. If you look up 'integrity' you'll find a couple of interesting definitions:Integrity: firm adherence to a code of especially moral values.
Integrity: is consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations and outcome.
What I've realized is how 'personal' integrity is in our culture today. In other words, it's not something that is defined for us by an objective moral standard - each person seems to define it for themselves. For example, to save money on taxes a person buys a car and then lies to the tag office and tells them they only paid $2000 when they actually paid $10,000. They justify this to themselves for any number of reasons - but if you ask them they would probably consider themselves a 'person of integrity'.
So here's my question to you - What does integrity mean to you and how important is it to you to be a person of integrity? I appreciate your comments.
Integrity to me as a Christian, would be defined by a consistency of living out the things I say I believe. And my prayer to that end is "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer." If my mind and my thoughts are centered on Him, and on the things that are acceptable to Him, I believe my actions will follow pretty close behind. I consider it very important to be a person of integrity...want to ask me if I think I'm "there" yet???
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Jerri has said. When I see or listen to myself and know that this or that has not lined up with I say I believe, I know there is an integrity issue. Being consistent in living out the things I believe is how Jerri put it. It seems both definitions in your blog are correct for how I should live, act, talk (not only how I should live, but how I want to live).
ReplyDeleteAs David said, let there be truth in the inward parts (in my heart)...this is what I want..truth in my heart.
To be honest with you, it seems to be getting rarer and rarer for people, whether leaders or not, to have personal integrity. By that I mean a consistency in their values.
ReplyDeleteChristian integrity? Integrity for those who do not profess Christianity? Should it be the same or different?
ReplyDeleteAsk those who are not Christians what they think of integrity in Christians. I do not believe we would like what the answer would be.
Why are we even having to address integrity? Why isn't it a natural result of our being Christian? Does it seem odd to you that this is even an issue?
ReplyDeleteIntegrity is a big big issue, but it is sad that it is. It truly should be an outflow of who we are in Christ.
I wasn't going to comment this time. Here I am anyway. We in the church don't have a good reputation for integrity. How did we get so far from godly principles? We should do a survery at our places of employment. Talk to people and ask them what they think of christians and their integrity who work with them. Will we be surprised at what they say?
ReplyDeleteJerri summed it up quite well...I couldn't have said it better! Mary Jane, your idea of a survey in places of employment is a good one. I hope you'll do it and let us all know the results. I SO MUCH enjoy reading this blog and the comments that follow! Thank you Derricke...thank you everyone!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, integrity is a huge issue. One of the reasons that Christians in the world today have such a bad reputation among unbelievers is because of this very thing - we don't walk in integrity. It's easy to say the right things, but it's a lot harder to do them. I heard someone say once that 'integrity' is what you do when no one else is around. That is so true. When no one is watching - when no one will ever know - do we still do the right thing? Do we do the right thing even when doing the right thing will not result in our benefit?
ReplyDeleteAnd if someone lacks integrity, then they are lacking truthfulness, honesty, uprightness, it is not just a moral issue, it is a sin issue. We have to live above reproach. We must abstain from the very appearance of evil. And people should be able to look at our lives and see God. But we also need to live a life with the knowledge that God sees it all. He hears our conversations, He sees how we treat others, He knows how we conduct our business, He knows what we do behind closed doors, and He knows our thoughts and the motives of our heart. If Christians would live eternally here on earth, knowing that one day we will not only have to stand before the One who knows it all, but we will have to give an account, integrity would not be an issue. I am grieved when I sin and especially when I have sinned against other people, but I am more grieved that I sinned against my God.
ReplyDelete