Integrity. Integrity is an underrated quality these days. It is defined simply as doing the right thing even when no one is watching. Yet, in practice it takes on a much greater burden for those seeking to adhere to a life built on it. Having integrity demands doing the right thing WHILE others are watching, DESPITE the pressure they bring to go along and knowing there are PERSONAL CONSEQUENCES in standing up against these pressures.
Integrity, then, is not well-served by the simple definition. It is best to think of the word as a host word: a word that encapsulates other related words or thoughts. A host word is, then, quite complicated. Integrity is one of the more complicated. It draws together other complicated thoughts. A sampling of these are:
- Responsible
- Accountable
- Truthful
- Reliable
- Consistent
- Transparent
- Honorable
- Trustworthy
- Empathetic
- Just
If a person has integrity, they must have and exhibit these qualities as well. Integrity, then, is inclusive of them: if any of these are lacking, so is integrity. You should note as you review the list, each of the qualities listed, like integrity, encapsulate other necessary qualities. They, too, are complex host words. Basic logic should reject the simplistic definition of integrity, then, in favor of a highly complex, involved and demanding quality.
No wonder it is not pursued by others, It places a person in a vulnerable position, requires constant self-evaluation, demands too much and costs too much for those looking for immediate gratification or to please others. It is much easier to refuse responsibility, shift blame, lie, shift positions with public opinion, hide one’s motives, or treat others in a shallow and ultimately uncaring manner to reach one’s ends.
Integrity comes at a cost to the one who pursues it, not to others. It is about standing for right and accepting the scorn of others. Integrity establishes the reputation of the man. It carries with it a promise those without it cannot claim. Those who practice it can expect no less than the protection of the Almighty. It is not the easiest way, but it is the only right way. It is complicated, yes, but the reward is straightforward.
Proverbs 28:18 Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered, but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.
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