Integrity: The Missing Piece
With every election season, the question echoes louder: who can we trust? As I watch candidates vie for leadership, I can’t help but wonder—are they people of integrity? Wouldn’t it be refreshing to know that what they say is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Integrity seems to be in short supply these days, not just in politics, but in families, churches, and businesses. I remember having my own sleepless nights when something wasn’t right in my life. I would toss and turn because I had said or done something that didn’t measure up to integrity. Only after I faced the issue, apologized, and set things right did peace return.
The word integrity comes from the root of “integer,” meaning a whole number—not a fraction. It’s not divided. That’s the essence of integrity—wholeness, honesty, a life that’s not divided between right and wrong.
A man found a wallet full of cash while walking through a park. Without hesitation, he took it straight to the police station. When the wallet’s owner came to collect it, they were stunned to find every dollar still inside. “Why didn’t you keep the money?” they asked.
The man simply replied, “Because it wasn’t mine.”
That’s integrity in its purest form—doing the right thing, not because someone is watching, but because it’s the right thing to do.
As Proverbs 10:9 says, “People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.” It’s hard to imagine how anyone can sleep soundly when their lack of integrity is tearing apart families, institutions, and even governments. Some damage is irreparable — lives disintegrate.
Jesus taught us to “be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). This isn’t about perfectionism, but about wholeness, especially in how we love and treat others—even our enemies. It’s a challenge, but real integrity begins when we let God heal our fractured hearts.
The good news? When we walk with integrity, God notices, and He’s delighted. Proverbs 11:20 reminds us, “The Lord detests people with crooked hearts, but He delights in those with integrity.” I’m going to put ME at the top of my integrity list. I want Him to delight in me. How about you?