Walking With Integrity and Wisdom

By Samantha Rodriguez

“Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward and declared, ‘This fellow said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.”’ Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, ‘Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?’ But Jesus remained silent.”—Matthew 26:57–63 (NIV)

I don’t know about you, but whenever I was accused of things growing up, I would defend myself. I think of all the times my brother and I got into little arguments or scuffles and we’d keep telling our parents it was the other one’s fault. I think it’s in our human nature to get defensive. Even when something might be true, if that something we did was wrong or is getting us in trouble, we immediately deny it to get the blame off us. We want to be justified in all our actions, even the wrong ones.

In today’s Scripture, we see a different kind of reaction from Jesus. He doesn’t get defensive in a moment where He could have totally and justifiably made a case for why He was innocent. Why? Because He knew the people were going to find a way to kill Him. He practices the utmost self-control and wisdom in this moment by remaining silent. Why? Because He knew this must happen for God’s plan to be fulfilled. He trusted in His Father’s plan, and that trust gave Him the peace and confidence to be silent at this moment.

In tomorrow’s devotional, you’ll see that Jesus does say something. When He does, He speaks with the same humble confidence and peace even though it meant Him going to the cross! Jesus may have been grieved and sorrowful a few hours earlier, but that didn’t take away His trust in the Father. His prayer remained the same and anchored Him through the trials to come.

In all reality, the chances are very low we’d ever find ourselves in a situation exactly like this, yet there are many other moments in our lives where we face accusations from others. Sometimes, those accusations are false and a result of being despised for our faith. Sometimes, those accusations are true and the result of mistakes we’ve made. In both scenarios, we can learn from how Jesus walked through this moment of accusation Himself.

Though He was not blaspheming or deserving of the punishment to come, He also did claim to be the Messiah and didn’t shy away from that just because it was putting Him in this place of persecution. When we’re being wrongly accused, it’s important to remain true to ourselves and what we believe even when the outcome might not be in our control. What is in our control is the way we carry ourselves through it with integrity, honesty, and faith in God. When held accountable for something we did wrong, we must act the same way yet with even greater humility to acknowledge that we messed up.

In this life, we’ll experience trial after trial. Those trials will test not only our faith in God but also our character and self-discipline. I pray we take every opportunity to deepen our trust in God and walk with integrity, honesty, humility, and confidence.

When you spend time with God and witness His unchanging character, His peace will fill you even in confusing and difficult moments. Lean into His presence, pray for wisdom, and move forward with the assurance that He will never leave your side!

Pause: Is there an area of your life where you’re lacking integrity or humility? What’s that area and what makes it hard for you to walk with these virtues?

Practice: If you feel there’s an area of your life where you need to be more truthful or humble, practice that today. It could be with a friend, a family member, a co-worker, or just between you and God. Humble yourself to walk with a heart of honesty and love.

Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for being gracious to me time and time again. It’s easy for me to get defensive with my actions, faith, or thoughts. The truth is, I fall so short every day. I easily act selfishly, think judgmentally, and make excuses about how I prioritize my faith. I’m sorry, and I ask You to help me walk with more integrity and discipline. Help me remain bold and rooted in Your truth, even when others disapprove of me, and to be compassionate and kind to them. I want to model your life, Jesus. Amen.