What it means to live a life of integrity
Truthful lips endure
forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. Proverbs 12:19
A man went fishing
one day without catching a single fish. So, he packed up his gear, went to the
market, and picked out three fat fish to take home to his family. As the store
manager was about to wrap up the purchase, the man asked him, “Before you wrap
them, could you toss them to me, one by one? That way, I can truthfully tell my
wife I caught them!”
When it comes to
telling the truth, many people like to scoot by on technicalities, half-truths,
and word games in order to hide the real facts. They value their reputation
over their integrity and do whatever it takes to make sure people think highly
of them.
But when we look at
the Scriptures, we find that way of thinking is a recipe for disaster. Take
King Saul, for example, who directly disobeyed God’s orders in 1 Samuel 15. When he was confronted about it, he
continued down his path of lies for no other reason than to preserve his
reputation while slowly destroying his integrity.
The old adage is
true: Honesty is the best policy. When you live a life of truth, you’ll not
only please the Lord; you’ll keep a clear conscience. So be truthful in all you
do and maintain a life of honesty and integrity.
Prayer Challenge
Ask God to help you
be truthful in all your dealings with others and to value your integrity over
your reputation.
Questions for Thought
Why do you think
many people place more value on their reputations than they do their integrity?
In what areas of
your life have you perhaps let your integrity slip? What can you do to build it
back up?