Integrity Test

There is a line that seems to get crossed often when it suits certain people’s whims or wishes. There is always a line that separates right and wrong; good and bad. I’ve seen people do some really crazy things to protect themselves and their possessions. They seem to be willing to make a deal with just about anyone for any reason to protect themselves at all costs – even it flies in the face of honest and honorable behavior.

Integrity by definition is: adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty. Another way of saying this is a quote credited to the late Peter Marshall, Chaplain of the US Senate who said: “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” I will confess to failure many times when it comes to standing upon my faith in the Lord. His Word has integrity. His actions have integrity. His love has never given up on me.

This meeting that the Lord had with some of His angels and Satan was there was pretty interesting. Job had evidently passed the first test when all he had was taken from him. The second test is going to be way different a fight for his own life. Check this out…

3 Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.’

4 ‘Skin for skin!’ Satan replied. ‘A man will give all he has for his own life. 5 But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.’

6 The Lord said to Satan, ‘Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.’

7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. 8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.

9 His wife said to him, ‘Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!’

10 He replied, ‘You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?’

In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. (Job 2:3-10 NIV)

Integrity is a must for all great leaders. Their word needs to mean something. They can’t let their belief system simply blow whichever way the wind is blowing. I believe integrity to be an important part of the moral code of a person. Integrity says that what I say and what I do are in complete harmony. There are times that what I say and what I believe are in conflict because my mouth starts moving before my heart and mind are engaged. Jesus clearly says that out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks and there are times my heart needs a good cleaning. I think integrity starts with my heart. I want my heart to be completely devoted to the Lord and His call upon my life. I want the words of my mouth and all my actions to come from deep within my heart that is sold out to Him. I want to live honorably from that place of deep integrity. I can already see why Job is held in high esteem – his patient endurance of suffering has set a really high benchmark for sure. He is the epitome of integrity in the midst of great suffering and pain. He passed the integrity test with “flying colors”!

Pressing On!

Dwayne