AN EXAMPLE OF INTEGRITY

I want, seek and pray to be a man of integrity. In Paul's second letter to Timothy the charge is made -

  • "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." (2 Tim. 2:15)
Paul advises Timothy and all Christians striving for integrity that to be of sound moral character -
  1. We should be accountable to God
  2. We should work as employed by God
  3. We should correctly handle God's Word.
Not all of us surrender these on a daily basis, therefore we deal with our own consequences when we respond to issues in a day from a non-Godly guided manner. If we are Christians who are presenting ourselves to God as approved, then that means we are seeking what God's Word says meets His approval and doing it.

Paul challenges the believer to act in the faith as a worker who is not ashamed to be employed in the service of The King. The words - He died for me, I'll live for Him - are easy to type but they are far from simple or painless to live out. Christ made some clear-cut statements about our relationship with Him and life that support the unashamed worker concept.
  • "If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels." (Mark 8:38)
  • "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
  • "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions." (Matt. 24:45-47)
Next is a very weighty responsibility. Paul  mentions correctly handling the word of truth. How does a man come to the decision that he will be an example of integrity? Men who choose to study and correctly handle the word of truth with God's direction usually find themselves in some kind of front-and-center profession. These men who have a "spotlight", a regular platform to speak from and the influence of counseling people on a personal level - must know they have a high standard to meet as An Example of integrity or right standing with God.

I have seen men who have abused this position. They have acquired the spotlight, the platform or the counseling stance in life but leave God and the consideration of others out of the equation. Knowing I have been in the public's eye, but more importantly God's Eye, I would love to run after qualities I see in men like Abraham, Joseph of the Old Testament and Joseph of the New Testament.

In Genesis 12:1 and 4 you can read how God called then named Abram to pack his bags and move to a land that He would show Abram. Verse four says, "So Abram went, as the Lord had told him." Wow! I desire that kind of immediate obedient response to God in my life. I don't want to supply excuses, I just want the faith level and gumption to - as the advertisement says - Just Do It.

Mary's Joseph of the New Testament was also a Yes Man for God. Reading about the marriage of Mary and Joseph and birth of Christ we find that Joseph obeyed the Law of God regularly, so he sought to divorce Mary because she was pregnant before they were wed. However, we also observe Joseph had a tender heart, so he looked to perform the proceedings quietly and privately. 

This wonderful match made in Heaven by God joins two individuals whose character has an obedient heart toward God. The marriage and caretaking of the Christ-child was especially noted and obeyed with an angelic visitation to both of them. That would do the trick for me too. 

Isaiah got a bonus - he saw the Lord in His temple and angels all around. Isaiah's sinfulness brought him to a place of brokenness and usefulness as he answered the Lord, "Here am I, Lord, send me."

The Joseph of the Old Testament never complained. In all the situations he was placed in and the challenges that came his way I did not see him bickering one bit. I believe because of this, God placed Joseph in such a way where he could be a blessing to those around him in every circumstance.

Integrity, it is not perfection, but it is the eternal pursuit of honoring God's plan, His principles for my life. If I will...
  1. be accountable to God
  2. be an unashamed worker for God
  3. handle His Word correctly with care
  4. and take on other holy characteristics from other great Biblical examples,
by God's grace and help, I will be An Example Of Integrity.

Comments