“Integrity is what you do…
…when no one is looking”. I can’t tell you who said this-heck-I even googled it (or as my mom says, “goggled” it). I have heard this my whole life-however-I have not adhered to it my whole life. Who doesn’t try to get away with the little things once in awhile?
Here are a few examples, embarrassingly enough, where I have been a woman of less than integrity and where God has knocked me down a peg or two:
“I just go 4 miles over the speed limit. Everyone else does.” Bam! Speeding ticket.
“Of course I didn’t stuff my bra, Mom. Those are kleenexes for later.” Bam! Grounded and forced to write 6 inches out of the dictionary.
“She forgot to charge me for the stuff at the bottom of my cart. It’s a big corporation, it won’t matter to them.” Bam! Convicted and went back to pay for my “free” stuff.
“They left it behind-guess it’s mine now.” Bam! Convicted and they asked for it later, which was awkward.
I hated being less than honest-and worse-I hated being caught. I felt like I had to weave more and more webs to cover up what I had done.
I decided long ago when I was humiliated for another lie, to no longer live that way. Black is black and white is white-even if the world seems to think there are 50 shades of grey.
Here’s what God says about integrity:
“In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.” Proverbs 12:28 (I’d like to have a long life.)
“The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.” Proverbs 10:9 (I want to be secure in who I am.)
Of course I still screw up constantly and make a thousand mistakes on a daily basis. But, above all, I want to make my dad and my Dad proud. This is what is promised me if I do:
“In my integrity, you uphold me and set me in your presence forever.” Psalm 41:12 (That sounds pretty awesome.)
“May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.” Psalm 25:21
Ever since I decided to live a black and white life, I don’t have to wonder what I need to cover up, who I’ve told what or what I’ve omitted from which conversation.
It’s so simple. It’s so freeing. Why didn’t I do this years ago?
Nice writing! My mom used to tell us kids, “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we set out to deceive.” I’m sure her dad told her and who knows who may have said it before him, on and on? I have an autograph book that was my great grandma’s with all sorts of those kinds of sayings. They were so clever back then! :o)
Chris-
I know that saying all too well. I picture dirty spiders ringing their hairy hands as they say it. Creepy, huh?
What an awesome post! I love love love it! Thanks for being transparent and allowing the Blood of the Lamb to convict and cleanse you…and me too. You are so silly too…I always smile when I read your posts! I’ve had to learn many things the hard way, and this is certainly one of them. It’s certainly freeing to be honest all the time.