Hold Up, What Is Integrity?

When Googling the word integrity, you will most likely be met with two definitions. The first is, “The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness,” and the second is, “The state of being whole and undivided” (Dictionary, 2019). Strangely enough, both definitions apply well to the term. When you have integrity, you have the strong conviction to speak truthfully and act righteously. Not only that, but you are fully yourself; not splitting yourself or compartmentalizing how you act. Integrity is a virtue that all people should have, but how much greater is the urge for the Christian. But what good is integrity if there is no biblical support of it? Therefore, we can read in the Proverbs, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight” (Proverbs 12:22). We ought to speak in truth and act faithfully, so that we can please God. A wonderful biblical example of a man with integrity is Solomon. “And as for [Solomon], if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules” (1 Kings 9:4). And we know that for much of Solomon’s life, he indeed walked with integrity.

Having integrity is great, but the unfortunate reality is that not everyone expresses this well. If you want to know what the danger of not having integrity is, consider what the alternative of integrity is. If integrity is being honest and righteous, then the contrast is to lie and to sin. No one wants to follow a lying, sinning leader. But a true, upright leader invites people to support and submit to you. A great example of a poor leader is the story of David and Bathsheba. The entire chapter of 2 Samuel 11 echoes a great man, named David, who made all of the wrong choices and showed that integrity was the last thing on his mind. Just a few of the errors he made is that he neglected to fill his duty in war (1:1), lusted after Bathsheba (1:2-3), had sex with her (1:4), got Bathsheba’s husband drunk to cover up his sin (1:13), planned and executed the death of Bathsheba’s husband (1:15-17), and he refused to own up to his sin (2:5-6). David was a passionate man and let his desires get the best of him. In retrospect, David shouldn’t have violated his power by getting Bathsheba to sleep with him and killing her husband. He should have been pure, by not indulging in his desires. And even after his great sin, he should have owned up to his sin to Nathan.

Now we can look at David and stand with a puffed chest, thinking we are far better than he. But the reality is “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). In my own life, I have failed deeply in my pride. The most explicit area that I have potential to fail in is pride. Truthfully, I fear that my ego will get the best of me. As a young 22-year-old preacher, I want to place safeguards around me so that I will not fall into that temptation. I place heavy emphasis on critique over compliment. Now, I do not beat myself up over my flaws, rather I try to take it and use it to humble myself. Another important piece of setting myself up to succeed is to have accountability partners. I urge you to find people in your life that won’t just be “yes men”, but people who will hold you to doing better. People who will challenge your character.

Keeping in mind the importance of integrity, knowing the potential that I might fail, and the urgency to instill people for accountability, I must also practice spiritual disciplines. Three of the spiritual disciplines that I devote to practicing are Scripture reading, prayer, and corporate worship. Even though these three principles might seem like the most saturated in the church, rightfully so, I urge the Christian to not only perform the act of these principles, but to have a genuine heart when doing so. What good is the act of doing these things if the heart isn’t there as well. George Barna makes a great point when he says, “The development of leadership character takes more than the practice of external disciplines, for it involves the heart, not just habits” (Barna, 1997). Daily Scripture reading, being immersed in prayer, and taking advantage of corporate prayer are vital components to an individual’s faith.