Ministers Blogs
“People of Integrity”
Categories: Christian PrinciplesRead almost any business book, self-help book, or do a search on the internet on articles of how to be a better person and one will come across the word “integrity.”
The Bible is also full of examples of individuals who were people of integrity. People like Caleb, Ruth, Job, Paul, and many others lived their lives before God and people with integrity.
Willard Tate described integrity this way, “The word comes from the mathematical term “integer”, a number that hasn’t been divided into fractions. It’s a whole number. And a person with integrity is a man or woman whose life is not divided against itself [by lying, immorality, cheating, gossiping, stealing, drinking, or dishonesty] someone who enjoys wholeness and completeness” (Habits of a Loving Heart p. 96).
In other words, integrity is more than just telling the truth, it is living the truth, being a truthful person all the time. It is being what we say we are, even when no one is looking; not being hypocritical, deceitful, or untrustworthy.
Proverbs 11:3, teaches that, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.”
Dennis Waitley, in an article entitled, "Your Absolute Bottom Line," published in Priorities Magazine, shared this story that well illustrates integrity.
In the operating room of a large, well-known hospital, it was the nurse's first day on the medical team. She was responsible that all instruments and materials were accounted for before completing the final steps of the operation. She said to the surgeon, "You've only removed 11 sponges. We used 12 sponges, and we need to find the last one."
"I removed them all," the doctor declared emphatically. "We'll close the incision now."
"No," the rookie nurse objected, "we used 12 sponges."
"I'll take the responsibility," the surgeon said grimly. "Suture."
"You can't do that, sir," blazed the nurse. "Think of the patient."
The surgeon smiled and lifted his foot, showing the nurse the twelfth sponge. "You'll do just fine in this or any other hospital."
Dishonest people and practices have plagued our society. Companies, government, families, schools, and sadly, even in the church; people have been cheated, lied to, used, and have been victims of dishonest practices; yet this seem to be the norm today. But integrity should be one of the characteristics of the Church. Above all, honesty and integrity should be a characteristic of each Christian.
Jesus put it this way “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?” (Luke 16:10-11). Think about it!
Written by Mark T. Tonkery
