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.