If You Have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters. Alan Simpson, former U.S. Senator.
This statement makes a very strong case for integrity. What does the Bible have to say on the subject?
When God spoke to King Solomon on the occasion of the dedication of the temple, He said, “As for you, if you walk before me in integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’ But if you or your sons turn away from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples.”
God makes it clear that the keeping of His commandments is the essence of integrity. The high principles, honesty and good character manifested by a man of integrity come from adherence to divine principles. In Solomon’s case, he had committed himself to serving God, and the keeping of God’s law was an integral part of that commitment.
We don’t have to read very much more to find out that Solomon did not walk in integrity of heart all the days of his life as did his father David, and, as a result, the kingdom was divided. Eventually Israel did become a byword and an object of ridicule. Why? Lack of integrity is the answer. A man of integrity honors his commitments.
David knew the value of integrity. Just before he died he went all-out to help prepare for the temple he wanted to build, but God had refused him permission, saying, “No, your son will build it instead.” David, rather than being a poor sport, said to God, “I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. 0 LORD, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, requirements and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.”
David was correct. God does test our hearts and He is pleased with integrity. Integrity implies willingly doing the right thing no matter what the cost or what we may prefer. David put aside what he would have liked to have done and wholeheartedly supported a plan that was not of his choice and would give the prestige for building the temple to someone else.
Integrity is a quality you cannot fake. There really is no such thing as insincere integrity. If it is insincere then it is not integrity.
We need to ask ourselves, Do we have integrity? That is a critical question. We cannot fake it. Let us then walk with integrity. The benefits of integrity are many, both now and in the future.
Let us say with the Psalmist, “But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.” God will respond as David knew he would when David said, “Judge me, 0 LORD, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, 0 Most High.”
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One