Walking In Integrity

My grandfather used to tell me that there was no personal quality more important than integrity. And I think I agree. Although, integrity does not describe our values. It is possible to live with integrity and be a total…louse. But it is not possible to live with integrity and be a hypocrite. If we live with integrity, we are true to ourselves.

Integrity is from the same root as the word integer. Integrity requires wholeness. And so if we walk with integrity, we walk our talk; we practice what we preach….whatever it is that we preach.

Integrity may well be the best reason for us to mind our margin. Because it is hard to practice what we preach, as followers of Jesus on a mission from God when we are slaves to what the culture preaches.

So today, I invite us to take a bit of time to write down our core values. List ten values that you hold nearest and dearest to your heart (like honesty, compassion, truth, humor, willingness to take risks, mercy, justice, etc.). And then go down the list in pairs and ask yourself which you value more. Compare number one and number two. And then number one and number three, etc. Then after you have gone down the list of ten, begin with number two. Compare number two and number three, and then number two and number four, and so on. And when this exercise is finished, the result is the touchstone for our integrity.

What is it that we value most? And are we living according to that value?
Onward!

Psalm 26

א  לְדָוִד:  שָׁפְטֵנִי יְהוָה--    כִּי-אֲנִי, בְּתֻמִּי הָלַכְתִּי; וּבַיהוָה בָּטַחְתִּי,    לֹא אֶמְעָד.	1 [A Psalm] of David. Judge me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
ב  בְּחָנֵנִי יְהוָה וְנַסֵּנִי;    צרופה (צָרְפָה) כִלְיוֹתַי וְלִבִּי.	2 Examine me, O LORD, and try me; test my reins and my heart.
ג  כִּי-חַסְדְּךָ, לְנֶגֶד עֵינָי;    וְהִתְהַלַּכְתִּי, בַּאֲמִתֶּךָ.	3 For Your mercy is before my eyes; and I have walked in Your truth.
ד  לֹא-יָשַׁבְתִּי, עִם-מְתֵי-שָׁוְא;    וְעִם נַעֲלָמִים, לֹא אָבוֹא.	4 I have not sat with liars; neither will I go in with hypocrites.
ה  שָׂנֵאתִי, קְהַל מְרֵעִים;    וְעִם-רְשָׁעִים, לֹא אֵשֵׁב.	5 I hate the gathering of evil doers, and will not sit with the wicked.
ו  אֶרְחַץ בְּנִקָּיוֹן כַּפָּי;    וַאֲסֹבְבָה אֶת-מִזְבַּחֲךָ יְהוָה.	6 I will wash my hands in honesty; so will I encompass Your altar, O LORD,
ז  לַשְׁמִעַ, בְּקוֹל תּוֹדָה;    וּלְסַפֵּר, כָּל-נִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ.	7 That I may make the voice of thanksgiving to be heard, and tell of all Your wondrous works.
ח  יְהוָה--אָהַבְתִּי, מְעוֹן בֵּיתֶךָ;    וּמְקוֹם, מִשְׁכַּן כְּבוֹדֶךָ.	8 LORD, I love the habitat of Your house, and the place where Your dwell.
ט  אַל-תֶּאֱסֹף עִם-חַטָּאִים נַפְשִׁי;    וְעִם-אַנְשֵׁי דָמִים חַיָּי.	9 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with the bloodthirsty;
י  אֲשֶׁר-בִּידֵיהֶם זִמָּה;    וִימִינָם, מָלְאָה שֹּׁחַד.	10 In whose hands is craftiness, and whose right hand is full of bribes.
יא  וַאֲנִי, בְּתֻמִּי אֵלֵךְ;    פְּדֵנִי וְחָנֵּנִי.	11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious unto me.
יב  רַגְלִי, עָמְדָה בְמִישׁוֹר;    בְּמַקְהֵלִים, אֲבָרֵךְ יְהוָה.	12 My foot stands in an even place; amid my congregation will I bless the LORD.