LEARNING DAILY

 

Proverbs 10:9, The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.

 

This proverb contrasts two types of people. The first person is one who walks in integrity; Solomon states that person’s way is secure. The other person walks in a deceptive way which will eventually be seen by others.

 

Integrity is usually spoken of as doing the right thing, even when no one is watching or when others will not know it. It often refers to telling the truth or not taking advantage of a situation to make personal gains – when money is involved, for example. Perhaps it could be thought of as not taking a “shortcut” in order to receive personal gain of some sort. Mark Twain once said, “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything”. An honest, sincere life, a life centered in integrity, does not risk being caught in a lie or some dishonest action. The honest person, therefore, has a more “secure” life.

 

Integrity also speaks of a person who loves God and has made the decision to walk on the narrow path He has determined one needs to walk on in order to spend eternity in His kingdom; that person has made the decision to honor God in his/her life, with their possessions, in the way they deal honestly with others, and by who they are. Integrity is important to guard ourselves and protect our heart from being polluted by the temptations and evil of this world. It also helps us to become the person God wants us to become and to be the light of Jesus Christ to others.

 

Solomon also points out the person who does business in a dishonest way, gains wealth in a way that takes advantage of situations he/she controls, and just commits evil. That person will be “found out” eventually. To go back to Twain’s words, it is too difficult to keep track of lies told and dishonest dealings with others; it is a losing situation and those who try will eventually be exposed for what they have done.

 

Let me add some other proverbs to encourage you to walk in integrity. “Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner” (13:6). “The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to Him” (15:26). “The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright” (21:8). “He whose walk is blameless is kept safe, but he whose ways are perverse will suddenly fall” (28:18).

 

As Christians, it is important to be an example to those around us in both our words and in our action, whether seen or unseen. It is walking the narrow way, the “way less taken” instead of the broad way where many walk. It is not taking the short cut or using any means available to get ahead, to make an extra dollar. I do not know anyone who enjoys dealing with the person who lacks integrity. Even a thief does not enjoy dealing with a person who lacks integrity. There are plenty of men and women whose walk on the outside appears to be great in the eyes of those who see them. However, their private lives are not so good inside because of greed, dishonest dealings and because they have no relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. We deal with our private lives by taking them to the only One who can change us from within. That is the only way we have the ability to walk in the integrity He demands and to honor Him with our lives and our decisions.

 

This integrity is to characterize every Christian. Paul encourages us in Philippians 2:14-15 in this way, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world”.