Word to the Wise: Integrity

Intro

Play “Wise and Otherwise”

*Hungarian, Sechuana, Scottish, Croatian, Jamaican*

Walk This Way

This morning our topic is integrity, something Proverbs refers to repeatedly

There is a pattern in how Proverbs talks about integrity (let’s take a look)

Proverbs 2:7 “he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,”

Proverbs 10:9 “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.”

Proverbs 19:1 “Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.”

Proverbs 20:7 “The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him!”

Proverbs 28:6 “Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.”

Proverbs 28:18 “Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered, but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.”

The wise are called to “walk in integrity”

Integrity is not a thing to be had, but a way of life

“Walking” talks about our faith and life journey

Proverbs uses lots of walking related images in addition (straight or crooked paths, walking upright or falling down, etc.)

This life is wild! It is a true journey, full of ups and downs… integrity needs to be a constant companion by our side

Once again the need for action is obvious

Last week = “neighbouring” (how we live out this verb)

This week = “walking” in integrity

Proverbs is concerned with what is lived out, and integrity is no different

Walking is only part of the picture… HOW we walk is more to the point. We need to walk in integrity

Talk about taking Zoe for walks; teaching her not to pull

Filled with Integrity

It is important to have the Scriptural understanding of what “integrity” is

We all have slightly different ideas and perceptions, or place integrity on different parts of a spectrum

What does the Bible say? The original languages are a big help

Hebrew verb root for “integrity” in Proverbs is “tom”

Which means “completeness, fullness, perfection, innocence… integrity”

The core of the word is to be filled up, to be made complete

Coincides wonderfully with the Greek word for “perfection” which is “telos” in the New Testament

To be made perfect is to be completed or filled up; to have integrity is to be completed and filled up… with what?

Cf. 1 John 4:12-17.

It is the abiding love of Christ that is “filling us up”

Biblical integrity begins with this relationship with Jesus; have you accepted His abiding love?

It is the overflow of this love of Christ that shows up as integrity

Integrity is the ability and desire to do the right and moral thing in all situations out of the overflow of Christ’s love in your life

There are good ways to test and see if our life shows biblical integrity

Here is my test:

Do you act consistently when no one else is around?

Men struggling with pornography have this battleground

Do you act consistently when you are with different groups?

Students can be tempted to be different at youth vs. school

Do you act consistently when you have something to lose?

It is all fun and games to believe something is right until it costs you something dear… maybe even your job

According to John, it is our love for others that shows we are being completed by the love of Christ

If you do not love others, you are not being “completed” by the love of Christ, and you lack integrity

According to Proverbs, it is the blessings of walking in integrity that show we are on the right path

Outcomes of Integrity

Now is a great time to go back to some of the Proverbs we looked at earlier

Most of these proverbs use antithetic parallelism to show the contrast between those walking in integrity and those… not

Others will just pronounce a blessing, but the promise is consistent: walking with integrity (being filled with the love of Christ) will be a worthwhile path to take

Walking with integrity offers guidance

Cf. Proverbs 11:3 “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.”

It is integrity itself that is the guide

You will know what the right thing to do is in a situation when you are being filled with the love of Christ

Are you facing a hazy situation? Focus on your relationship with Jesus first and things will become clearer

Walking with integrity offers security

Cf. Proverbs 10:9 “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.”

Once again, it is integrity itself that provides security, whereas a lack of it leads to being “found out”

Those who live with integrity have nothing to hide! Not true for those who lack it

Refer to John Tory’s affair as a sign of a lack of integrity

Walking with integrity offers deliverance

Cf. Proverbs 28:18 “Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered, but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.”

Sometimes we will find ourselves in need of deliverance, no matter the integrity we have or not (life is hard)

Are you committed to doing the right thing, and allowing God to deliver you from a time of trouble?

Call up Alvin to share his story of integrity

Conclusion

Once again, these Proverbs really work

There are blessings to be found by walking in integrity, and pitfalls to avoid by not doing so

Once again, integrity is the work of God and not our own discipline

It requires being filled and completed by the love of Christ; it is HIS work

Our cooperation and focus must be on our relationship with Him, more than just trying to be more disciplined all the time

Find a time and space to be alone with God; meditate on His Word, experience His love

When you can do this, you will receive the blessings of integrity in God’s guidance, security and deliverance

Word to the Wise: When you walk through life with Jesus, you walk with integrity.