The Cambridge Dictionary defines integrity as “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change.”
There are times in life that our integrity is put to the test.
Here are some practical examples:
1. Reporting only some of our earned income that is required to be documented on our taxes.
2. Lying on our resume with the hope of landing a specific job.
3. Using inferior project materials and/or providing shoddy workmanship for a customer.
4. Plagiarizing, that is, the thought of stealing someone’s words or ideas and giving the appearance that it is our own.
5. Not working a full-day as defined by our employer.
Sometimes we justify our actions by thinking, “It’s okay, I’m not hurting anyone.”
It occurred to me years ago that integrity is simply doing the right thing even when no one is looking.
We need to keep in mind, however, that there is always “someone” looking, and that is God himself!
Here are some Bible verses to support that thought:
“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3)
“For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.” (Job 34:21)
“The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.” (Psalm 11:4)
“The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.” (Psalm 33:13)
“For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes.” (Jeremiah 16:17)
“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” (Hebrews 4:13)
If we belong to Christ, we surely do not want to disappoint Him. He is the One who loved us “so” by going to Calvary’s cross – the One who subjected Himself to God’s awful wrath those three dark hours and paid the penalty for OUR sins, allowing us access to heaven and eternal life.
The moment we embraced Jesus as our Lord and Savior we became “a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are “…dead to sin…” (Romans 6:11); it no longer has dominion over us.
What a testimony to others to be thought of as a person of integrity, should others be aware of our actions!
I knew a Christian who was fired because he refused to “fudge the numbers” for a client while employed at a CPA firm. He lived up to the definition of integrity mentioned above – “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change.”
Be vigilant, dear brother, dear sister. Should our integrity ever be compromised, it is very hard to get it back. If it is compromised, thankfully, we can confess our sin, be forgiven and restored to fellowship with the Lord.
Remember, while others may not see or know what we do, God does, and we will be rewarded accordingly.
When we appear before the Lord Jesus Christ in a future day, might we each hear those words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
In the interim, may each of us, with the help of the Spirit of God, exhibit integrity in our daily lives, as God is watching…