“The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.” (Proverbs 20:7 KJV)
This is an interesting verse in the Bible. It really causes a person to think: “Who is the ‘just man?’” Or it may make us wonder just what exactly “integrity” is. The New Living translations says it this way, “The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.” It’s the same verse. It means the same thing. But we are left with these words “godly” and “integrity.”
To be “godly” is to seek the same things God seeks. We should want not our righteousness, but God’s righteousness. We should seek to become the person that God created and not the person the world expects us to be. We should rise above the beliefs and false security of the world and seek what God has planned for our life. We are created in God’s image. Therefore, we are capable of things like love, anger, forgiveness, and sacrifice. We are being shaped into the person like Jesus. But it’s not just that easy.
Integrity, on the other hand, goes a little deeper. Not only are we to become “godly” and see how God acts and how God expects us to act. But we are to use what God has given us and live a life that shows God’s plan of salvation, not only for ourselves, but for everything and everybody He created.
The word “integrity” comes from the Latin word “integer.” Any person familiar with math will remember that the word “integer” means a whole number. It is not a decimal or fraction. Integrity is the same idea. Integrity is our whole person. It is our whole life. It is how we think and how we act. What we believe, our faith, our knowledge of God, our salvation should be shown in the way we live both privately and when we face the world. This means the way we think is the same as how we act. How we act in front of others at church is the same as how we act when we are at the grocery store.
The world says if we could just arrange our circumstances where we never have any sorrow, pain, or hurts then people will change. If we can change our circumstances, our situations, our plans we can change one’s character. We become more “godly” toward each other.
But the Bible teaches just the opposite. The world puts the emphasis on one’s situation. God puts the emphasis on character. Someone has well said water does not become pure if it is put in a fancy glass. And yet that's what we try to do. We think that if we can change the exterior or make a situation such that we never have any hurts, then we're going to be okay. But Jesus put the emphasis upon character, on what we are in God’s eyes, and not what we have or don’t have.
Integrity is influence. Character is influence. Influence is not pressure, power or control. Influence is affecting other people with what they see us doing. What is important to the leader will be important to the follower. Whatever is important to God will be important to us. Don’t ever desire that something be important in someone else’s life that isn’t important to God. We need to be an example and desire for others what God desires for us.
If we are able to live by God’s standard, and not the world’s lives will be changed. “… blessed are their children who follow them.” Children watch and children learn. We are all God’s children. We are all created in the “Image and likeness” of God. We should be watching Jesus to learn. Jesus is the example of integrity.
Ours is a “pro-active” faith. It means that we are doing something from what we know and not “re-acting” after the fact. In other words, one of the surest ways we can keep from doing the wrong thing is if we are focused on doing the right thing.
Husbands and wives encourage and lift up each other in godly ways. Mothers and fathers act with integrity to teach children godly ways. Seek God’s plan for integrity. Children look to godly role-models to learn what god has planned. The world does not provide role models. Only God provides role models and that is in the person of His Son, Jesus.
Pray together. Encourage each other. Study together. Seek God’s character together. Then worship together. Thank God that He is the source of our “integrity.” God does not want to save part of His creation; God wants to save ALL of His creation. God is not only our creator, but Jesus, fully God and fully man, is our Savior. Trust Him.
Hello Again!!
7 years ago
