Christian Life Church
November 20, 2024 at 7:00 pm
"Integrity is always doing the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason."
Locations & Times
Christian Life Church Columbia
2700 Bush River Rd, Columbia, SC 29210, USA
Wednesday 6:30 PM
INTEGRITY NOVEMBER 20, 2024
Here is a simple definition of integrity:
"Integrity is always doing the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason."
A. The Bible acclaims integrity.
1. It’s a trait that can preserve us.
Psalm 25:20, 21 Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. 21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you.
2. It’s a trait God will judge us by.
Psalm 7:8 Let the Lord judge the peoples. Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.
B. Proverbs also has a lot to say about this topic.
Proverbs and Implications
1. Proverbs 10:9 “He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known.”
a. As the saying goes: We can get away with some of the things some of the time, but we can’t get away with all of the things all of the time!
b. Just ask the Wells Fargo employees who were caught creating false bank accounts, the charities that are shut down every year for inappropriately using donations, or the politicians who say things to get elected and then conveniently forget them after winning.
c. Another proverb mentions how integrity guides, but perversity destroys
Proverbs 11:3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
The piper always comes calling, one way or another, and it is wise to be on the side of integrity when that happens.
Implications: Err on the side of integrity in every situation you come across. Tricky situations and ethical/moral dilemmas will arise often in our lives, and Christians should approach those times by trying to see the situation through God’s eyes. So we ask, “What would God want me to do here?” We can also bring this thinking down to the human level: “What would my mother think if she could see me doing this? What would people at church and work think if they knew this is what I do in my free time?”
2. Proverbs 27:19 “As in water face reflects face, so a man’s heart reveals the man.”
a. Within the concept of integrity is the question of genuineness: Are we who we say we are?
b. We all have weaknesses and areas to improve in our lives, but can others tell what our overall heart is like through our words and actions?
c. Would we compromise our integrity for something as insignificant as a piece of bread (Proverbs 28:21)? Do we deceive or consistently practice righteousness (Proverbs 11:18)? Do we lurk secretly to attack and gain advantage over others (Proverbs 1:11, 18)? More importantly, do we avoid all these things all the time or just some of the time?
Implications: Be yourself. This doesn’t mean broadcasting all your weaknesses to everyone and saying anything that pops into your mind without tact or gentleness. It does mean that we should work hard to have a heart of integrity and to show that heart to others. We should make what we say consistent with what we do and who we are. God looks at the heart, not just at the mouth.
3. Proverbs 20:7 “The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.”
a. We may not always think about it, but integrity can make a generational impact.
b. When someone has integrity, the family is blessed because of it, making the community blessed, making the city blessed and so on.
c. Donating money or setting up services for others are obvious examples. However, other Proverbs show that wealth is not a proof of integrity, since it is better to be poor and live with integrity (Proverbs 19:1) than to be a rich person who’s perverse in his or her ways (Proverbs 28:6).
Implications: We must strive to be an example of integrity to others around us—starting with our closest family. Be a person who avoids gossip, lewd joking, foul language, fudging timesheets, and anything else that compromises integrity. Though we will make mistakes, we can show integrity in how we respond to, apologize for and grow from those mistakes.
Christian Life Lessons
1. Integrity is a theme through all of scripture, but the book of Proverbs helps us to practically know how to live it out in everyday life.
2. Be more concerned with your character than your reputation because your character is what you really are while your reputation is what others think you are. – Coach John Wooden
3. We should regularly evaluate who we are and what we are doing in light of God’s Word and the character He is developing inside of us.
Carefully and truthfully answering these questions to ourselves will help us evaluate our level of integrity.
1. Have you ever borrowed a book or another item from a friend, and then never returned it?
2. If a cashier gives you more change than you’re entitled to, do you point it out, or just pocket the extra money and consider it a win for you?
3. Have you ever gotten to a store parking lot and noticed you have an item in your bags you didn’t pay for? Do you just keep it, or do you go return it or go pay for it?
4. Do you ever “theater hop”—seeing two movies when you only paid for one?
5. Have you ever returned an item to a store as damaged or defective, when you were the one who caused the damage?
6. Have you ever bought something at a store, used it once with complete satisfaction, and then returned it to get your money back, saying it was unsatisfactory?
7. Have you ever taken a towel or other small item from a hotel?
8. Have you ever tried to get a child’s price on a meal or attraction for a child who is older than the age limit for the discount?
9. Have you ever “padded” or outright fabricated something on your resume?
10. Have you ever taken even a small office supplies item from work to use at home?
11. Are you known for showing up for meetings, appointments, or other obligations when and where you promised to be there?
12. Have you ever said something anonymously online that you would be ashamed to be identified as having said?
13. Do you accept a paycheck for 40 hours of work, when you actually do less because you are goofing off or surfing the internet or scrolling social media?
14. In school/college, did you ever cheat on an exam, term paper, or project?
15. Have you ever told someone you would pray for them, and then failed to actually do so?
Some of these questions may be embarrassing or even painful to think about. However, you don’t have to admit the answers to anyone but yourself—and hopefully to our Father as you go to Him seeking repentance and forgiveness.
Here is a simple definition of integrity:
"Integrity is always doing the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason."
A. The Bible acclaims integrity.
1. It’s a trait that can preserve us.
Psalm 25:20, 21 Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. 21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you.
2. It’s a trait God will judge us by.
Psalm 7:8 Let the Lord judge the peoples. Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.
B. Proverbs also has a lot to say about this topic.
Proverbs and Implications
1. Proverbs 10:9 “He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known.”
a. As the saying goes: We can get away with some of the things some of the time, but we can’t get away with all of the things all of the time!
b. Just ask the Wells Fargo employees who were caught creating false bank accounts, the charities that are shut down every year for inappropriately using donations, or the politicians who say things to get elected and then conveniently forget them after winning.
c. Another proverb mentions how integrity guides, but perversity destroys
Proverbs 11:3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
The piper always comes calling, one way or another, and it is wise to be on the side of integrity when that happens.
Implications: Err on the side of integrity in every situation you come across. Tricky situations and ethical/moral dilemmas will arise often in our lives, and Christians should approach those times by trying to see the situation through God’s eyes. So we ask, “What would God want me to do here?” We can also bring this thinking down to the human level: “What would my mother think if she could see me doing this? What would people at church and work think if they knew this is what I do in my free time?”
2. Proverbs 27:19 “As in water face reflects face, so a man’s heart reveals the man.”
a. Within the concept of integrity is the question of genuineness: Are we who we say we are?
b. We all have weaknesses and areas to improve in our lives, but can others tell what our overall heart is like through our words and actions?
c. Would we compromise our integrity for something as insignificant as a piece of bread (Proverbs 28:21)? Do we deceive or consistently practice righteousness (Proverbs 11:18)? Do we lurk secretly to attack and gain advantage over others (Proverbs 1:11, 18)? More importantly, do we avoid all these things all the time or just some of the time?
Implications: Be yourself. This doesn’t mean broadcasting all your weaknesses to everyone and saying anything that pops into your mind without tact or gentleness. It does mean that we should work hard to have a heart of integrity and to show that heart to others. We should make what we say consistent with what we do and who we are. God looks at the heart, not just at the mouth.
3. Proverbs 20:7 “The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.”
a. We may not always think about it, but integrity can make a generational impact.
b. When someone has integrity, the family is blessed because of it, making the community blessed, making the city blessed and so on.
c. Donating money or setting up services for others are obvious examples. However, other Proverbs show that wealth is not a proof of integrity, since it is better to be poor and live with integrity (Proverbs 19:1) than to be a rich person who’s perverse in his or her ways (Proverbs 28:6).
Implications: We must strive to be an example of integrity to others around us—starting with our closest family. Be a person who avoids gossip, lewd joking, foul language, fudging timesheets, and anything else that compromises integrity. Though we will make mistakes, we can show integrity in how we respond to, apologize for and grow from those mistakes.
Christian Life Lessons
1. Integrity is a theme through all of scripture, but the book of Proverbs helps us to practically know how to live it out in everyday life.
2. Be more concerned with your character than your reputation because your character is what you really are while your reputation is what others think you are. – Coach John Wooden
3. We should regularly evaluate who we are and what we are doing in light of God’s Word and the character He is developing inside of us.
Carefully and truthfully answering these questions to ourselves will help us evaluate our level of integrity.
1. Have you ever borrowed a book or another item from a friend, and then never returned it?
2. If a cashier gives you more change than you’re entitled to, do you point it out, or just pocket the extra money and consider it a win for you?
3. Have you ever gotten to a store parking lot and noticed you have an item in your bags you didn’t pay for? Do you just keep it, or do you go return it or go pay for it?
4. Do you ever “theater hop”—seeing two movies when you only paid for one?
5. Have you ever returned an item to a store as damaged or defective, when you were the one who caused the damage?
6. Have you ever bought something at a store, used it once with complete satisfaction, and then returned it to get your money back, saying it was unsatisfactory?
7. Have you ever taken a towel or other small item from a hotel?
8. Have you ever tried to get a child’s price on a meal or attraction for a child who is older than the age limit for the discount?
9. Have you ever “padded” or outright fabricated something on your resume?
10. Have you ever taken even a small office supplies item from work to use at home?
11. Are you known for showing up for meetings, appointments, or other obligations when and where you promised to be there?
12. Have you ever said something anonymously online that you would be ashamed to be identified as having said?
13. Do you accept a paycheck for 40 hours of work, when you actually do less because you are goofing off or surfing the internet or scrolling social media?
14. In school/college, did you ever cheat on an exam, term paper, or project?
15. Have you ever told someone you would pray for them, and then failed to actually do so?
Some of these questions may be embarrassing or even painful to think about. However, you don’t have to admit the answers to anyone but yourself—and hopefully to our Father as you go to Him seeking repentance and forgiveness.