True, Through And Through

The Bible says in Matthew 5:8, “God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.” What does it mean to have a pure heart? A pure heart means to live with integrity. It doesn’t mean to be perfect in the flesh because if so, no one could have a pure heart.

Integrity can easily be understood through its paradox, which is reputation. Jesus  said that if we worry more about what people think of us than what God thinks of us, He’ll be ashamed of us (Mk 8:38). We’re all tempted to be concerned about our image, what others think of us. But God is interested in our character. Reputation has to do with being so concerned about what people think of you; character and integrity is what you really are. Your reputation is connected to who you appear to be in public; integrity is connected to who you are when you’re all alone with God. It’s walking in the righteousness that you get through Christ.

Trying to perfect ourselves is nothing but self-effort. Whereas integrity is self-effacing. The Bible says that the path of the righteous is actually easy. “The path of the righteous is level; You, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth.” (Isaiah 26:7). Reputation, on the other hand, is the constant effort of trying not to fall, not to fail; it’s like trying to walk on slippery ice: all your energy is spent on avoiding failure because you’re consumed by what people think of you. But when you emulate Jesus, there’s no self-effort, it’s all self-effacing. You don’t have to fight the old man, you just walk in your new identity. You become like Jesus. “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience (to God) leading to righteousness?” (Rom 6:16). The real transformation takes place in obedience and in humility, when you’re tuned into Him, then His light comes in and the darkness within disappears.

Integrity is an uncorrupted, undefiled character; what the Bible calls “without guile”. You do the right thing, and you do it for the right reason. Your motives are pure and unpolluted by ulterior motives. You’re sincere and straightforward in every area of your life and with all people. You pray so you can talk with God, not so you can impress other people, as Jesus pointed out in the way the Pharisees prayed. (Mat 6:5-8).

We often departmentalize our lives like a pie graph, and the different parts of our life are different pieces of the graph. “This slice here is my career. This is my work life. This is my spiritual life. Then this is my family life. That one is my social life. Then over here is my secret life—my compulsions, addictions, and the things nobody else knows about.” When you segment your life like that, and you have a different standard in each department of your life, you’re not true, through and through. Integrity means you’re the same person everywhere and with everybody—in your speech, actions, and motives—no matter which part of life you’re walking through. What we are and what we say to one can be said to all. “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.” (Pro 16:3).

I have a friend who has a tremendous sense of humor, his name is Frank. When people ask what his name is, he says, “I’m Frank, will you be Earnest?” –Funny how it makes you reflect on your character, for a minute. The Bible says, “The Lord detests people with crooked hearts, but He delights in those with integrity.” (Pro11:20). Think for a minute…Would the people in each area of your life—your co-workers, classmates, neighbors, family members, and friends—all use the same words to describe you? We must be careful when we are tempted to value and protect reputation over character. Constantly minding our reputation is like living a lie; and lies always have to be propped up with other lies, whereas character is solid and immovable.

Jesus said that those who have a pure heart will “see God” (Matthew 5:8). That means you get to experience the presence of God in your relationship with Him. David said, “Because of my integrity You uphold me and set me in Your presence forever.” (Ps 41:12). You get to feel the power of God when you obey. You experience His pardon and love, you get to know the purpose and the will of God for your life. You get to live in the peace of God. “The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.” (Isaiah 32:17). The attributes of God are manifested in you because you’re wearing His robe of righteousness. There lies the difference between a true relationship with a loving Father and a dry set of rites with rigidity and conformity. Jesus  said, “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Mat 5:19-20). 

Worrying about our reputation can extend as far as fretting about what God thinks of us, instead of knowing that He loves us always and in all ways, because we know His righteousness; our heart is set to live in obedience to His will. David said, “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.” (Psa 57:7). 

When you have integrity, you become the kind of person that other people like to be around because you know who you are and where you’re going. “People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.” (Pro 10:9). A superficial reputation won’t last, but a noble character will. King Solomon said, “A righteous person lives on the basis of his integrity. Blessed are his children after he is gone.” (Prov 20:7). WOW! That means your integrity calls for the blessing of a lasting legacy because those close to you, especially your family, will know that your walk matches your talk. Your greatest legacy is your integrity. When you’re gone, your money will be divided and spent among your family and all the trophies you’ve earned will be given to others or even thrown away. But your character is going to influence the lives of the people around you and even the lives of the next generations. There’s a lasting legacy embedded in your integrity.

We tend to think that rewards come from the big moments of life, when everybody is watching; that’s success in the eyes of man. But Jesus said, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” (Mat 25:21). It’s the small moments that reveal real integrity. Every small word of encouragement you give to people will be rewarded in eternity. Every small act of kindness is noticed for eternal rewards. There’s strength in integrity. That’s what being meek means; you live by the truth of the Word and your strength is in the Lord. “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” (2 Chron 16:9). God shows His strength in your uprightness and trustworthiness. WOW ! There’s so much to learn about integrity and so much to learn when you walk in integrity.

I want to encourage you to take some time to study the topics of integrity, righteousness, meekness, faithfulness, goodness, etc., because this is what takes the perspiration out of serving the Lord. That’s what renewing our mind is all about, to bring our every thought into obeying Christ, into being like Jesus. That’s when we have strength of character and walk in peace, because we desire to please God and God alone. Below are a number of verses to start you meditating…

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Proverbs 11:3

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

Proverbs 28:6

Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse.

1 Peter 3:16

Keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

Proverbs 12:22

The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.

2 Timothy 2:22

Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Proverbs 4:25-27

Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.

Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.

Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Luke 6:31

Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Psalms 41:11-12

I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me.

Because of my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Proverbs 8 (so rich about wisdom and integrity)

Micah 6:8.

He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

Revelation 19:7-8.

Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.’ And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

1 John 3:10

In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

Acts 10:34-35.

Then Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

Proverbs 10:6-7,11,25.

“Blessings are on the head of the righteous … The memory of the righteous is blessed … The mouth of the righteous is a well of life … But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.”