THE VALUE OF INTEGRITY

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.

Righteousness guards the person of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly, but those who despise him are devious in their ways.

In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls, but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.

Proverbs 10:9, 11:3, 11:5, 13:6, 14:2, 22:5

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

NOTE: From Proverbs, Chapter 10 through Chapter 22:16, Solomon writes a series of individual proverbs for us to consider. I will try and group similar proverbs in my devotions as I cover what Solomon wrote over these chapters.

Through more than twenty-eight years in the Navy, I have been evaluated many times. Those annual evaluations included professional comments on my performance as well as documentation of any significant achievements. 

After such a distinguished career, you know there was no shortage of great accomplishments and comments made in my assessments but the one comment that has always stuck out the most, the one which gave me the most satisfaction had nothing to do with successes but rather with character.

The comment simply said, “Does the right thing, every time.”

Only a mere six words but a powerful six words and words we should all want someone to say about us.

You see, there’s something incredibly distinctive about integrity, about being viewed as person who does what is right. Embody integrity with a conscientious drive toward exercising it in everything you do, and you’ll always find yourself in a position of esteem and respect with others. Conversely, if you consistently violate the basic tenets of it, you’ll find your name and reputation will be worthless. No one wants to deal with a person who lacks integrity except for those who also lack it. You’ve probably noticed how sinful people seem to find company with one another but after all the old saying states, “Birds of a feather stick together.”   

Yes, integrity is critical to whom we need to be and the Bible reinforces this fact. Take a look at what it has to say about the value of integrity through the following proverbs:

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out. Proverbs 10:9

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. Proverbs 11:3

The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness. Proverbs 11:5

Righteousness guards the person of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner. Proverbs 13:6

Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly, but those who despise him are devious in their ways. Proverbs 14:2

In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls, but those who would preserve their life stay far from them. Proverbs 22:5

These verses underscore the worth we find when we live upright in honesty and truth. For when we exercise integrity, we gain the following:

1. Security.

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely.

Righteousness guards the person of integrity.

In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls, but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.

2. Guidance.

The integrity of the upright guides them.

3. Righteousness.

The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight.

4. Respect and reverence for the Lord.

Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly.

One who is judged as doing the right thing every time, is the one who seeks the Lord’s will and way through His Spirit and holy Word, responding to all the direction the Lord provides in obedience. When you do that, then you are clicking on all spiritual cylinders and will reflect the Lord in all you are and all you do. Your life becomes a reflection of Him as you live life under His leadership and in His favor.

Choose to not do the right thing and you will be viewed as one who is unfaithful and hypocritical, saying one thing but doing another, a duplicity that will only bring destruction. They will not be found on the path that is straight and narrow but rather journeying on the crooked paths of life. In the end, one who chooses to reject the Lord in favor of their will and way, the ones who through their consistent insubordination reveal their devious attitudes, will find themselves overthrown and brought down for the Lord will not be disrespected. Know and trust in that. 

I don’t know where you are in life today but my prayer is that you will one day be a person that will have the reputation of doing what is right every time, a person of integrity. You’ll reach that goal if, and only if, you allow the Lord to lead you to His glory, to a place where He is honored for all He is, all He was, and all He is yet to be.

Amen. 

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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