Integrity... Is it still important?

The story of Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt is always exciting. Remember after he had survived all the challenges and sat comfortably on the throne his brothers came asking for help for they were starving in their country. They did not recognize Joseph so he decided to test them and had their money put back in their sacks without their knowledge. When they discovered the money their father told them to return it but double the amount. Genesis 43:12 (NIV) “Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.”

“Perhaps it was a mistake.” Have you ever been given too much change? If we are short changed we are quick to let it be known and expect it to be made right. But are we as quick to notify of being given too much? Is it easy to walk away and think, “Oh well, they should have been smarter or more careful. It’s the price you pay.” Several weeks ago I was ordering at a fast food establishment. I ordered a chocolate shake and was charged on my bill for a chocolate cookie. I immediately noted that to the lady waiting on me. She seemed shocked that I would say anything. Surprised at honesty?! What a shame! She gave me the shake at the price of a cookie, but it bothered me that she was surprised by honesty.

We are fast coming upon Presidential elections once again in America. They seem to come around much faster than they used to. There was a time when the central focus of political campaigns was whether or not the candidate had integrity or not. Lincoln ran on this platform in 1860 and 1864. Theodore Roosevelt did the same almost fifty years later. But now, a century since Teddy, the fact that a man or woman has shown less than sparkling character during the course of their personal lives seems to be of little importance in a more “pragmatically focused” world.

To quote a former president caught in gross immorality, “our personal lives are none of the nation’s business.” (Bill Clinton, 1998.) I would vehemently disagree! Issues like whether or not you have cheated on your spouse or faithfully served your country in the military or, for that matter, believe in God, have been relegated to the scrap heap and called time-worn and irrelevant ideas that are no longer applicable to our times. By the way, if you ever have wondered what common thread tied Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt in such a way as to be the faces depicted on Mt. Rushmore, you need look no farther than this: each man led a life of integrity.)

Honesty and integrity should be something we can expect in a presidential candidate and everyone else as well. Ted Engstrom gives the following definition of integrity, “Simply put, Integrity is doing what you said you would do.”

Integrity means you keep your promises. When you promised to be faithful to your mate, integrity says you’ll stay with that person no matter what -- for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health. If you promised the Lord that you would give Him the glory, integrity means you keep on doing that whether you’re reduced to nothing or exalted to the highest pinnacle on earth. If you promised a friend that you would return a call, integrity means you return it. If you promised your child that you would spend Saturday together, integrity means you keep that appointment. A promise is a holy thing, whether made to a chairman of the board -- or to a child.

In a world that seems to have given up on values that made us what we are let us be counter culture, go against the grain, live with integrity in all our lives. Don’t even think gray. It’s black and white, right and wrong. If there is a question then go to the side of honesty and integrity.

Prayer: Father God, You have never failed to keep a promise. Help me to live a life of integrity that brings honor to Your name. Even when at the moment it seems that integrity costs me something give me to courage to be honest in the confidence that in the end it will be greatly rewarded. AMEN.

Blessings!
Pastor Roger