The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy. Proverbs 12:22

He was a friend and a respected member of the community. We served in public office together and I enjoyed serving with him. But then one day, he told me a story about a recent family cruise. It seems that there was a costume party on board and prior to leaving they purchased costumes for the whole family.

They enjoyed the costume party and when they returned, they put all the costumes in the box they came in, made some excuse and returned them for a full refund. He was proud of how much it cost him….. nothing to have the costumes for the party.

Well, then my whole attitude about him changed. There are few things in the world more important than honesty and integrity. If he would steal from the costume company, then he would steal from me.

Honesty means being truthful and transparent in one’s actions and words, while integrity is adhering to a strong moral code and principles.

Together, they create the foundation for trust and mutual respect in relationships. When people are honest and have integrity, they are dependable and reliable. Either you have them, or you don’t.

My father used to say that his word was his bond. What he said he would do, he did. The Bible is replete with verses about honesty, because honesty is integral to developing a deep relationship with God.

Second Timothy 2:15 admonishes us to do our best to present ourselves to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Proverbs speaks volumes about honesty. The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight. Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.

Honesty is marked as being free from deceit or untruthfulness, being sincere. The Christian life should be one marked with integrity and honesty, yet because we all sin and find it easy to do so, honesty is something we must work hard at! An honest life is important on so many levels from relationships with spouses and children, at our workplace, and interacting with our neighbors.

Be careful to not lose your honesty with the little things, for it will infest you with the big things as well.

by John Grant
used be permission

John Grant is an Attorney and Retired Florida State Senator

MORE LESSONS ON INTEGRITY

• Seizing Opportunities and Becoming a Work of ART
• Dangling Threads
• A Call to Fatherhood

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The post The Costumes appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Every day we have opportunities that demonstrate our character. We encounter little opportunities for our integrity to grow or slow. Small things that many would just overlook, like the wrong change, an item left off the grocery bill, TV program choices no one sees, perhaps an overlooked invoice. You know the kind of stuff that surfaces and is just too bothersome to take the time to right.

God’s word gives us great wisdom on just this very thing.

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” Luke 16:10

Where are the small things of integrity showing up in your life? Opportunities arise as we go about our daily business to show us where our line of integrity is. It’s wise to pay attention. Small things do matter…God says so.

Father God, Thank you that You settle for nothing less than spurring me on to be all You want me to be. Help me today to move my line of integrity forward. Help me to be honest in the very small things of everyday life. Father, I want You to be able to trust me with more for Your Kingdom. More influence in others’ lives, more finances for Your work, more opportunities to see Your power displayed. May I be faithful in small things today with the help of Your Holy Spirit.? In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

by Gail Rodgers
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• Just a Carton of Cream
• Just and True
• Jesus Words
  

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The post Integrity in the Small Stuff appeared first on Thoughts About God.

The Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. John 2:20-22

Over twenty years ago, I watched it being built over a number of months and I remember attending the grand opening. It was a building not far from where I live. It has been occupied by more than one business and most recently been vacant.

On my way to the office one morning, I noticed some equipment around the building and several trucks. When I returned, later in the day, more than half the building was gone and by the next day the site where the building once stood was void of any trace of building and was a vacant parcel of property, scraped clean to the bare earth.

I pondered about how long it takes to build a building and how quickly it can be torn down. I thought of the passage of Scripture where the Jews challenged Jesus on his statement that he would tear down the Temple and rebuild it in three days – a structure that took forty-six years to build. He, of course was talking about a different kind of Temple.

I thought about how this applies to my life and recalled 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”

As I contemplated that Scripture, it occurred to me about how long it takes to build up my body to be worthy and reflective of being a vessel of the Holy Spirit. It includes building character, integrity, trustworthiness and respect. It takes years to firmly ingrain those traits in a body created in sin.

But then consider how quickly our bodies can be torn down. We are tested by Satan and tempted by sin. Sometimes just one stumble can in a moment wipe out years of character building and Satan baits us when we are least expecting it and when we are most vulnerable.

We must all be careful to not stumble on sin and in an instant erase what God took years to build.

by John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

Further Reading

•  Random Acts of Kindness it is amazing how random acts of kindness affect those around you.
•  Encouraging Word
•  Salvation Explained

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The post Tearing Down or Building Up? appeared first on Thoughts About God.