integrity

  You know, it seems the word "itegrity" is an obsolete word these days.  Maybe because we have confused its meaning with other challenging words like holiness and purity.  I guess it does fit within the framework of those words but there is something different about it.  To have "integrity" means we are good at our word.  If we say something, we mean what we say and say what we mean.  If we say we will sell something for ten dollars only to find it is worth fifty, we will not change the price, we will sell it for ten.  We gave our word.  If we say we will be somewhere at a certain time, we will be there   We gave our word.  The psalmist says that a man who can come near to God is one that will swear to his own hurt and not go back on his word (Ps. 15:4).   He will keep his word, even to his own hurt.  One of the things we most love about God is that He has integrity.  He is good at His Word.

   There was a time in America, where this was the standard by which we measured men. "He is good at his word" and a handshake was all we needed.  We are a far cry from this in a day where contracts mean nothing.  Even in the church world, integrity has become scarce.   Many are only good at their word as long as they are in earshot.  It is bad enough that we are this way with God, it is worse when we are this way with each other.  Lack of integrity greatly contributes to the crumbling of any society, church or even a marriage.  If we can't trust another to keep his word, we cannot trust him at all.  We say "love you brother", but is that word good?  Do we have the integrity behind those words that make those words meaningful?   Years ago I had lunch with a wealthy business man who declared "I would rather do business with any heathen in town than any Christian I know (in his line of business).  The heathen will usually keep their word, the Christians won't".   What a sad, sad indictment of Christians.  We are the people who are to reflect God and more particularly reflect a God who is good at His word.

   Ultimately, the lack of integrity brings great harm to us in many ways.  One, we soon forget that God is a God of integrity and our faith in Him wains.  He becomes distant, not because He moved, but because integrety is required to come near Him.  Two, we forget that integrity upholds us.  Our confession of faith, of the Word, of the promises of God, of who we are, of who God is, becomes wishy-washy, and then, so do we.  Our confession begins to be only convenient words, not words backed by the power of integrity. We trust no one and no one trusts us.  We can hear the preacher in the pulpit or on television declaring this or that about God, and because of mistrust created in an environment without integrity, instead of "Amen" (so be it), we are more likely to say "maybe".  Because of the lack of integrity, who knows if they mean what they say, or are they using words to manipulate?
     Silver tongued medicine peddlers used words to sell useless cures in a bottle and gain riches.  They were called "snake oil salesmen".  Sometimes, looking on, especially at TV, you get the sense things have changed much. "Send and offering and God will double your blessing".   Shame on snake oil peddlers!   One fellow, still on Tv, went through a messy divorce and never missed a beat, explaining "I wasn't called to be married, I was called to preach".  Of course, he is now remarried. But, why does this happen, why is this so common?  Lack of integrity!  Vows mean nothing, not when the divorce rate in the church is as high as in the world.  The creeping crud has crept up on us and we haven't recognized it yet.  I've heard pastors who step into the pulpit, about every month with a new vision for the church while last months vision is abandoned.  Soon no one knows what the vision is and they begin to perish, in one way or another, without a vision.  I've heard men of God  say they have just "decided" to become a Holy Ghost church.  Of course, it doesn't happen, the people all say inwardly "maybe", but not "amen".  It takes more than a momentary decision to step into the things of God.  It takes integrity between us and God.  He says what He means and means what He says.  Do we?  He expects it.  Interactive grace requires it.  Grace relationship is not just goody ol' God do undersevered goody things for us. It is Him and us, us and Him in partnership.  The Holy Ghost, the "pareclete" is the one called along side to help.  He is our joint-helper.  We are in this together.  We hear His words and He hears ours.  Words are powerful. With them we can bring forth good fruit but with words we can also bring forth evil fruit.  They were never meant to be used to manipulate, to gain advantage, to deceive but that is how they are being used, even in the church.  They were meant to  reflect life and love and honesty and most importantly, a good and faithful God.  Words matter, my friend.  Words matter.