Integrity is not what you seem to be when all eyes are on you. It’s who you are when no one is looking. (character is what you are in the dark). It’s a level of morality below which you never fall, no matter what’s happening around you. It’s a high standard of honesty, truthfulness, decency, and honor that is never breached. It’s doing for others the way you would want them to do for you.
A man of integrity says something and means it. He doesn’t play verbal games so you never really know where he stands. He knows to let his “Yes” be “Yes” and his “No” be “No.” “For whatever is more than these is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37). He will not play both sides of the fence to please everyone. his goal is to please God and do what is right. A man can be highly esteemed among men but an abomination to God (Luke 16:15).
A man of integrity “swears to his own hurt and does not change” (Psalm 15:4). He will keep his word even if it costs him something to do so. When placed in a possible compromising situation, he will continue to stand strong in what he believes. (The three Hebrew boys stood strong and never bow to the golden image or worship Nebuchadnezzar‘s god. They were later thrown into a fiery furnace). Above all, he is a man of truth; you can depend on his solid honesty. A man “who walks with integrity walks securely” (Proverbs 10:9), because his integrity guides him and bring him into the presence of God (Psalm 41:12).
Integrity happens in the heart. Therefore, being a man of integrity is something a man must choose to do on his own. But loved ones can prayerfully help him fight the enemy that seeks to snare him, blind him, and keep him from making that decision. Even when he makes the right choice, there will be a negative reaction to it in the realm of evil. Your prayers can help shield him from anything that causes him to doubt and waver, and give him strength to do what’s right–even when no one is looking. The Bible says “The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him” (Proverbs 20:7).
Let's Talk Gospel 
Thank you for the great reminder of the importance of keeping my word. It reminds me of a passage from John 1:47 that helps make your point:
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.”
Jesus saw that Nathaniel was a man of integrity.
God bless!
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Absolutely. As Christians we have to hold ourselves to a much higer standard than everybody else. If we are going to let our light shine, then we must be people of high integrity.
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It depends on what kind of help you are looking for. But if you are a young Christian who is seeking to learn more about God, then I suggest you start with the book of Genesis–that is where it all began. Whenever you are done with that, you can move on to the four gospels– Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. You can pick any one of the four gospels to start with but I would recommend you start with John–“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3 : 16).
Another thing you can do is to get youself a bible with concordance. That will help you to undertand what you read a little better. And my last and most important recommendation is; Pray and ask God to open up your understanding because you cannot do it by yourself.
One other thing, be sincere!
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The thing about being a Christian is that you know, without a shadow of doubt, that you are never alone. God sees all things, so if you think you are deceiving others, you are actually just deceiving yourself. Amen, integrity in ALL things.
Thanks for sharing this truth, and for popping into my blog and leaving a comment. The wonderful thing is, God gave me time alone and in the dark to just be with Him. Praise God for migraine! The joy of the Lord is our strength, and Victory is ours through Him. Thank you for taking the time to take a stand with me.
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Thank you for reminding us all that we must continue to stand tall, even when we are not the center of attention. I love your blog and have subscribed. I will be looking to see more of you, I hope!
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God bless your heart freshthoughtz.. This road we travel is not always easy. A little encouragement here and there is good for the soul.
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Noel, love the personal integrity, easy enough to do – find it harder when the “personal” space gets invaded by family or work and one finds themselves no longer in control of their “word.” Not as easy as it sounds….
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