"How To Find Integrity"

Written by R. E. Bailes

When Do We Exhibit Integrity?

Proverbs 20:6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

Isn't that the truth? Who can find a man that has the heart of God? Do you know anyone like this? I've heard it said often that we just can't find anyone that we can trust anymore. Even the church members will take advantage of you if you get into a desperate situation.

As I thought back on the times when I have met people who were in a situation where they couldn't get themselves out, I remembered seeing a report where the high school children at a local school had walked past someone that had been attacked by another student with some kind of weapon. It said that it was astounding how many students were caught on camera just glancing at this student laying on the ground and walking right on by.

Parents, what are we teaching our children? Are we telling them to do right, love one another, go to church and then driving or walking right past people who are in desperate situations? Do we really believe that they are going to be what we tell them to be if we are not following the same principles.

Speaking of principles, the Principle in my junior high school was one of the toughest people I had ever met and yet he would laugh and carry on with you after school! He had a position in the school that required that he hold everyone accountable for their actions and uphold the rules and consequences of the students behavior, good or bad. His title was Principal and that is exactly what we were learning from him; how principles in life would have an effect on our lives whether we liked it or not. We cannot change principles because they are the foundation of our universe and this planet that we live on. These principles were laid down by our Creator from the very beginning when Adam and Eve were given the Garden of Eden. The decisions that they made and that each and everyone of us makes are followed with results.

In almost all cases we see the results of our decisions more clearly displayed in the lives of our children. If you are not sure how you or your spouse are doing, just take a long look at your children and realize that they have been watching every move you make ever since they were born. If you don't like what you see them doing, it is never to late to make changes in your life and believe me, they will start asking questions! That is another sign that they are patterning themselves after you. There are many places in the Word where Jesus speaks to the parents about how they can bless their children and curse their children. I will look at one of those with you as we find out when we actually exhibit "integrity".

There are many cases in the Word that talk about understanding the heart of a person but what about their integrity? When do we see this displayed in a persons life? I first thought when I began to study this a couple of years ago, that integrity was the way that a person felt about themselves and their honesty with others. I thought that it meant that they would keep their word if they had integrity. As I continued to look at the use of integrity in the Word of God, I began to realize that it must be allot deeper than our actions in public or more than how we speak to others or what we say.

It actually began to look more like a private matter to me. I found that integrity was something that was found in the spirit, soul and heart of a person. It is found in the core of our being and actually exhibits itself not in front of other people but when no one else is around.

Who we are when no one else is there is when we find out whether or not we walk in integrity. So it won't be hard for you to figure out but it might be difficult for others to know for sure. People can have wrong thoughts in private and speak in such a nice, educated, polite way to others so that everyone thinks very highly of them. That's why we learn in Psalm 118:8 that it is better to put our trust in God than to put out confidence in man.

The Hebrew word for integrity is "tôm" and is pronounced tome. The definition includes the following:

completeness; figuratively prosperity; usually (morally) innocence: - full, integrity, perfect (-ion), simplicity, upright (-ly, -ness), at a venture.

Completeness in the Bible usually refers to the growth and understanding of the believer in Christ. Prosperity is achieving and receiving the blessings of God's will in your life. Innocence is a clear conscience undefiled by secret sins and wrong motives. Our children can maintain their innocence if we keep them from the ones who would defile their minds and bodies. Simplicity is living the life God chose for you without divulging in the things that the world believes that it must experience in order to find happiness. I was told once that I lived a simple life when I lived out in the country as a youth. The person who said this said it in a way that it sounded like it was a bad thing to live a simple life. It was funny how much I liked it though! So they saw it one way and I saw it another. There's allot to say about living a simpler life and being in the will of God.

America has become known as the prosperous nation of the world where everyone can go and achieve their dreams. The people in other countries have envied us and wished that they could leave their simple lives to come and indulge in the luxuries and many toys that are found on the shelves and in the clubs of America.

Do they really know what they are giving up when they leave the simpler life that their ancestors have lived and enjoyed to come to America where the desires are never fulfilled and there is always a bigger and better toy to buy. I have seen most faces in my community frowning while driving down the road in Mercedes and Cadillacs. I have seen children pitching fits and stomping their feet at Adventure Landing because they couldn't ride the go-carts one more time. I have seen the mothers with grocery carts so full they were running over and standing at the checkout with a total look of disgust on their faces.

If all of these things bring us joy, then where was that joy when they were all alone and thought no one was looking? Where is the integrity of our nation, our people, our families and ourselves?

Psalm 78:70-72
70. He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
71. From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
72. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.


David had found his integrity while alone in the fields taking care of his sheep. Yes, a simple life but a life that God had chosen. A place where David could here the wind and the birds. A place where he would come to understand he foundation for caring and protecting. Yes, it was a simple life for almost forty years as God was preparing David for a life of leadership and when that day would come, the integrity of David would go with him into the battle with Goliath and into the kings palace and on into the role of King! It is in the simplicity of life that our children must learn and find their integrity, their innocence, their prosperity! We parents must lead them and go there with them if we also will desire to experience integrity in reality.

When Goliath challenged the armies, David remembered fighting off that bear when his sheep were attacked and pulling the sheep from the teeth of the bears mouth. He struck the bear in the head with something and won the battle. David said that he had done this and Goliath was no different. David had fought off this bear when no one else was around! He could have turned and ran and let the bear eat the sheep but he knew what his purpose was and he stuck with it. That's integrity and now the integrity of David is carried over into his public life when he sees the giant Goliath. We all know how that story turns out and we probably have wondered how a small Shepard was able to do what the solders wouldn't do.

David had integrity. I challenge us all to look at our lives in private; live simply in the will of God; teach our children the importance of integrity and let it carry over into our lives publicly starting now.

Proverbs 20:7 The just man walks in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

Psalm 26:1 A Psalm of David. Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.
Psalm 26:2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.