Integrity: Don't Leave Home Without It!
This week’s devotional is excerpted from The Joshua Code by O. S. Hawkins. Since integrity is an integral part of who we are, I thought it was appropriate to share. I hope it challenges you like it challenged me.
“He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known.” – Proverbs 10:9
What is the single most important trait of a person who desires to truly make a difference in our world today? Some would say it is intellect. After all, knowledge is power in many ways. Others contend it is intensity, that spirit of conquest accompanied by a passion that becomes contagious. Still others suggest it is insight, good old common sense, along with the ability to clearly see certain issues. However, I contend the most important trait is integrity. We have all known people along life’s journey who have incredible intellect, but no integrity, and they are no longer in the race. Others possessing amazing intensity and passion but little integrity have gone the same way.
The same is true of people with keen insight but no integrity.
Integrity is our most valuable commodity. Integrity is that state or quality of being complete, and it is freedom from corrupting influences or motives. The thesaurus equates it with such words as honesty, completeness, and incorruptibility. Yes, “he who walks with integrity walks securely.”
Each of us lives in distinct spheres of life and influence. You live in a private world. There is a part of you where no one really goes. Not even those closest to us – our husbands, our wives – know all our private thoughts.
No one invades your private world except you… and the God who knows all your private thoughts.
You also live in a personal world. This is the part of you that you share with a small circle of immediate family and perhaps a few friends who really know you intimately.
Next comes your professional world. This existence consists of dozens or even scores of men and women who, although they do not know you personally, much less privately, know you in a professional setting. Finally, you live in a public world. This is the world in which people have never met you personally or dealt with you professionally, but they have formed an opinion about you. We call this our public persona. The reality of these four spheres raises an important question: where is integrity in life rooted?
Even though it will probably be very convicting, take a ruthless inventory of your private, personal, professional, and public spheres of influence. How would you rate yourself in integrity? How would those closest to you rate you?
~ Tim Hall https://twitter.com/1timothy12 (I encourage feedback, questions & comments - email me at 1timothy46@gmail.com)
