Integrity

Today's devotion at work. On Integrity. Thoughts in point form.

Integrity

Psalm 15

1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?
2 He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart
3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,
4 who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,
5 who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
will never be shaken.

Some points on intergrity.
• When I can be open, honest with others.
• Transparent, with nothing to hide, therefore never having to be afraid.
• Standing up for what I believe in. Not wavering. No compromise. Having strong moral principles.
• Undivided. One heart, one mind.
• Walking the talk. Must understand and believe in what I say. Because if I say one thing and do another, that's not being honest to the people who've heard my views.
• Integrity: giving credit where it's due.

Easy to compromise on daily routines. Small things. They become habits. Don't let that happen, don't compromise. Don’t lie to yourself. Be honest with yourself.

We quench the Holy Spirit by leading compartmentalised lives. It builds barriers.
Eg. Clinton. President. Also affair. Success in one area, but can still fail. Cos we compartmentalise!

Must fear God!
When you have the fear of the Lord, you’ll have much integrity ☺

Oxford American Dictionary:
Integrity
1 the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness : he is known to be a man of integrity.
2 the state of being whole and undivided : upholding territorial integrity and national sovereignty.


Thought:
In what areas have you not kept your integrity/compromised/have not lived fully for God?


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Talking about integrity, honesty... I think... when you can't be honest with yourself, when you can't be honest with the people closest to you...I think that's really hard. People don't ever really know you. People can't help you when you get into trouble. You aren't accountable to anyone (at least in the areas you choose to hide). People can't help you in your growth and you... you just don't really have anyone there helping to watch you. And I think that isn't a good thing. I think everyone wants to have good friends, to have people who know them for who they really are. To be completely comfortable and yourself around them. To be able to completely trust some people. Fully. (So you can tell them ANYthing about yourself. Even if it's most embarassing or bad or whatever).

I'm not saying that you have to tell everyone everything. That's...just weird. haha. I dunno. But. Yea. You have to have a few people. Like maybe 2 or 3, whom you can go to, who you can be honest with. Whom you know won't judge you, will be there for you, will help you, who are true friends.

Which is why, talking about friends, I think that article in Sunday's papers about the siblings have what, 30 000 friends between them, online? is uh, silly? You can't ever have 30 000 friends! They've changed what defines a friend. And I don't like it. Because it degrades the word. Why are people degrading things? The 'friends' they refer to are actually acquaintances. People degrade other words like 'love'. It's become this, I dunno, airy fairy whatever thing that people are flippant about, when it's actually so much deeper. And they degrade things like sex. Sex is meant for a married couple. Only. But it's become...something for...everyone, between anyone. Gosh. It's sad, you know. Yea. Sad.

Don't degrade things. Ah now I see how it links....
Integrity is not compromising, sticking to things...

It's easier being honest. Even when it seems not. You'll grow, learning to be honest in all things.



And again I'll say- I really wasn't intending to blog this long.
And sorry, if I repeat myself on certain topics sometimes.


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Blueberry Morning cereal. Yum yum.