WALK IN INTEGRITY

“The righteous man WALKS in his INTEGRITY; his children are blessed after him” – Proverbs 20:7

To Walk in God’s Way is to WALK IN INTEGRITY: “The righteous man WALKS in his INTEGRITY; his children are blessed after him” (Pro.20:7). Integrity is an unbroken completeness or totality with nothing wanting. It is conduct that conforms to accepted standards of right and wrong; absolute devotion to truth and faithfulness to high moral standards. Integrity is moral uprightness, sincerity, singleness of purpose, and the quality of being honest and principled. It is an inspired but personal choice to hold oneself to consistent moral and ethical standards. Integrity is highly rewarding: “He who WALKS with INTEGRITY walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known” (Pro.10:9).

Integrity is crucial to ministers of the gospel, public servants, entrepreneurs, students, or whatever one may be. Christians must be people of integrity. Lack of integrity is a huge deficit that will not allow one to attain the height one is supposed to attain. It doesn’t matter the height anyone has risen to, or the success one has achieved, without integrity it will not endure. Lack of integrity will bring demotion and disgrace, causing one to fall from grace to grass. A wise person will walk in integrity and guard his integrity jealously. A good name is better than precious ointment (Ecc. 7:1a). God has given us the Grace to be people of integrity – of honesty, sincerity, and singleness of purpose. We must avoid cunning craftiness (Eph. 4:14).

Integrity relates to Honesty, Truth, and Honour. God delights in “He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart” (Psa.15:2). Although the word ‘Integrity’ is not in the New Testament, its peers are: sincerity, truth, pure heart, and single eye. It’s only in a society with no values or eroded values that wealthy persons without integrity are celebrated. In a sane society, people won’t give honour to such. Integrity is superior to money: “Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool” (19:1). Wealth without integrity is vain: “Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich” (Pro.28:6). Brilliance without integrity is vain.

As we aspire to be the best in our chosen field, we must never sacrifice integrity. Many have been disgraced out of office for a lack of integrity. Few examples of Integrity in the Bible are:

Abimelech, a heathen king, king of Gerar, answered God in a dream that it was in the integrity of his heart and the innocence of his hands that he took Sarah, Abraham’s wife (Gen. 20:5). Abraham had claimed she was his sister. God also confirmed that Abimelech acted in the integrity of his heart. He restored Sarah to Abraham as commanded (Gen.20:14).

David was a man of integrity: “Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You” (Psa.25:21). He cried to God, “Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity” (Psa. 26:1). God testified of David that he walked in the integrity of heart (1 Kgs 9:4). He wasn’t a perfect man, and nobody is; but his heart was right; he was genuine, sincere, truthful, always striving to do what is right. He admitted his sin without trying to make excuses or pass the buck (2 Sam. 12:13; 24:10). David was a man after God’s heart (1Sam.13:14). God confirmed that he will do everything He wanted him to (Acts 13:22).

Job had integrity. God testified of him that he still held fast to his integrity in the depth of suffering (Job 2:3). His wife also testified: “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9). But Job didn’t compromise his integrity.

Paul also sustained a life of honesty and blamelessness in ministry (Acts 20: 30, 33-35; 2Cor.4: 1-2).

If heathen Abimelech, imperfect David, Job, and Paul could walk in integrity, you and I can, and should, always. People may call us any name they like but we must be honest to God, to self, and to others (2Cor.6:8).