INTEGRITY

 

Friday, April 12, 2024

 

INTEGRITY

 

For some reason the word “integrity” seems slowly to be fading from our vocabulary. We still hear the words “honest, honesty or dishonesty” but hardly ever hear of integrity. Perhaps the use of the word is disappearing along with its essence! In order to resuscitate both the word and the character trait, I’d like to investigate what the Bible has to say about it.

 

Ps 19:13-14

13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

 

1. THE MEANING OF THE WORD!

 

The Old Testament word is the Hebrew word tamam and basically means “being complete” or “finished” with nothing else expected or intended. A building was said to have “structural integrity” if it was finished, complete, sturdy, and strong with nothing lacking.

 

The word sometimes meant that a certain supply was completely consumed and there was no more to be found. My granddaughter, when a container of peanut butter, mayonnaise, or whatever was empty she would say: “That’s dead!” The jar was scraped clean, sometimes with a spatula. The tube was squeezed flat!

 

The word "integrity" does not occur in the New Testament, but its equivalents may be seen in "sincerity," "truth," the "pure heart," the "single eye," etc. It is equivalent to being honest, sincere, genuine, and is fundamental to true character. (from International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

 

Integrity for our purposes means moral or ethical soundness, as used in our text above. The psalmist expected to be sound or complete when God helped him to keep His law. This is the meaning of God’s diagnosis in the following verses.

 

Isa 1:4-6

4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

 

2. THE CHARACTER OF INTEGRITY!

 

Ø Integrity keeps promises even if damage is incurred by the keeping. A handshake is as binding to a person of integrity as a thousand-page document.

Ø Integrity is consistent, not moody, or changeable due to the pressures of circumstance.

Ø Integrity is kind but does not practice political correctness which is sometimes a euphemism for lying.

Ø Integrity is trustworthy and shows up in times of crises.

Ø Integrity does not cave in under pressure.

Ø Integrity keeps commitments, is always in his assigned seat.

Ø Integrity is never “absent without leave.”

 

3. THE SOURCE OF INTEGRITY!

 

Moral and ethical soundness, as indicated by Psalm 19:13, is received from the Source of all morality and ethical behavior. It comes from God through His Word and the ministry of His Holy Spirit. When the seed of the Word falls on the ground of one with “an honest and good heart” (Luke 8:15) the result is fruit.

 

Dear Lord, make me a person of honesty and integrity. Let me not make empty promises. AMEN