The
other day I had a word pop into my mind. I have been pondering on it ever
since. I have been asking myself what it means, and if I have this word
reflected in my life. The word is “integrity”. I started thinking of Phillip
and Steven in the book of Acts. They were men of integrity, weren't they? They
were full of faith, had the Holy Spirit living on the inside of them, and were
chosen for ministry by the people of the church. But I just couldn't seem to let
this word go, there seemed to be more to it than I was seeing initially. This
word was with me the next morning and then that afternoon. Again, that same
word keep growing louder and louder in my head until I gave into the Holy
Spirit and went to His Word. This is what I discovered, and it is my prayer for
you who read these words, as well as for me, that we would become a people of
integrity.
The
first mention of the word integrity in the Bible is found in Genesis 20:5.
Abram (not yet Abraham) has taken his wife Sarai and his whole family down to
Egypt because there was a famine in the land. As they are going Abram tells
Sarai to lie to the Pharaoh of the land because if they find out she is his
wife they will kill him. Sarai agrees and ends up in Pharaoh’s harem. While he
is sleeping that night the Lord speaks to Pharaoh and tells him that bad things
will happen unless he lets Sarai go. Pharaoh, not knowing that Sarai was Abrams
wife took Sarai in innocence. His motives for taking Sarai were pure and had no
cunning or craftiness behind them. So he says to the Lord;
“Did he
not say to me, ‘She is my sister?’ And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my
brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done
this.” (Genesis 20:5)
Pharaoh
had no idea that Abram had lied to him, and did what any Pharaoh of that time would
have done- he saw a beautiful woman and he took her. But he speaks to the Lord
and tells him that he had no idea of this sin; his integrity of heart was not
to go against the Lord. In this context, integrity refers to innocence. It
points to the conscience of a person. Our conscience is a part of who we are. Our
conscience tells us what is right and what is wrong. Even those who do not
believe in Jesus have a conscience. Paul reveals that truth in Romans 2:15 when
he points to unbelievers knowing right from wrong, even though they do not have
the Holy Spirit.
But, I
find that integrity is more than just an innocence of conscience. It is more
than a knowing what is right and doing it. Integrity also refers to the
sincerity of our hearts. It reveals our motives, and our intentions towards
everything we do. The dictionary refers to integrity as a character trait.
Integrity will reveal to us the truth behind everything we do. We all have
motives for doing the things we do. We may do something good for someone
because we want recognition for our efforts. We may work hard at a job because
we desire a promotion. We may seek to serve more at church, because we seek a
title of leadership. We may seek to do good because that is what Jesus asks of
us. Whatever the motive is behind what we do- our integrity will reveal it.
David
understood the power of integrity in his life. He understood that his heart was
deceitful and the motives that he may say he has for doing something may be
false and deceiving him before God. (Psalm 26:1) Our integrity is more than
just being right or wrong. Our integrity should help define who we are in
Christ. Integrity says that we are sincere and honest towards everyone and
anyone. We have no intentions of being deceitful, cunning or crafty in what we
do- there are no hidden agendas, no strings attached. To be a Christian, we
must have integrity. But, most importantly, our integrity must first be before
God. Integrity is having a sincere desire to be single-minded in our devotion
to God. It asks the question, “Are we genuine?” Are we genuine in our dealings
with our brothers and sisters in the Lord? Are we honest and upright in our relationships
to our spouses, children, and family members? Are we sincere in our devotion to
God our Father? Are we honest before Him?
God
knows the very deep secrets of our hearts. He knows all our dirty little
secrets. He sees them clearly. He is just waiting for us to have integrity and
to admit them to Him. Matthew Henry writes that a man (or woman) of integrity
is someone who will “desire to have his inmost soul searched and proved by the
Lord. He is aware of the deceitfulness of His own heart; he desires to detect
and mortify every sin; and he longs to be satisfied of his being a true believer,
and to practice the holy commands of God.” (Matthew Henry’s Whole Commentary on
the Bible, Psalm 26:1)
Do we
desire to have our inmost souls searched by God? Do we know and understand the deceitful
nature of our hearts that have been defiled by sin? The Lord God knows all my
inmost thoughts and desires. He knows all my dirty laundry. He knows every spot
and blemish that has ever or will ever stain these garments of my flesh and
soul. Yet, He says to me, and to you - “Come and be honest before Me. Let me
reveal to you the motives of your heart. Become innocent before Me, in the
integrity of your heart.” It is in sincerity, and in honest, unhindered
openness before God that I am able to be a person of integrity.
It is
my prayer this day that we, as His chosen people, would become a people of
integrity. That we would see the need to be honest and open before our God, and
be willing to lay our hearts bare before Him; He already knows the very depths
of our souls- let us be willing to be examined by our God. He has created me to
be His, and has asked me to become a woman of integrity before Him- our perfect
and spotless God. May the Lord God open my heart, no matter how painful, and
reveal to me the sins that abide, and cleanse me from all the unrighteousness
that dwells in the midst. In Jesus name, Amen and Amen.
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