2000-07-29 - Integrity

Originally Published 1997-05-21

Sometimes I wonder about integrity and accountability. Today in most church circles there is a wave of accountability that many people engage in. It goes by a whole host of little cute names, yet it is still essentially the same. A way for people to be accountable. Yet from what I have seen, it lacks something. The same is not true with the case of integrity. There is very little in the way of integrity. In fact integrity is an issue, that to most folks I discuss it with, that is about all it amounts to, just another "christianeeze discussion". My God, …you know sometimes these devotionals I write often times tend to get me aggravated. How can he write such things, someone asks? Well let me give you some statistics folks, that go beyond that "spit and polish, Sunday morning comb yer hair, brush yer teeth, shine them shoes, look ok stuff".

• Divorce hovering around 60% in the world
• Drug/Alcohol use (excuse me abuse) 1 out of every 10 in the USA
• Drug/Alcohol (yeah abuse) 1 out of every 10 in the church

Well excuse me for being a little sarcastic … yet if you look at the list, of how those two issues above affect society, it kind of makes integrity into just another "christianeeze conversation" for the vast majority of us. Kind of sad, is it not? Yet I am sure that just as we digest our breakfast with the same idea that 42,000 children die each day … we will also digest this. Yet this thing of integrity … could be something that starts with you … and me!! Right here, right now.

Broken families - nervous breakdowns - lots and lots of needless hours of pain and suffering for countless lives affected by the lack of … you've got it, integrity. Hours, weeks, years of time that will be lost in the work place. Society in general affected by the church and its trouble. Sometimes doing what is right is hard; sometimes being faithful today is difficult. Yet what you do will always be left as a memory or testimony to someone else. Think about it: "Do unto others what you would have done unto yourself…" How does integrity fit into your day? Do you decide each day to walk with God in integrity?

Today perhaps is a good day to crack open your Bible and discover for yourself one thing which will change your world and probably those around you. Yes that one thing is integrity. And as you read, ask yourself if you will -- "how can my integrity impact my home, my work or school, my world? Inside of each of you who have accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, is the Holy Spirit who makes you and God a majority, and so I close with the fact that you can change your world with integrity.

In His Service,
Rick

liv4yeshua@aol.com
http://www.cfdevotionals.org