Some online dictionaries report each year on what words were looked up most on their site. Back in 2005, some of the most popular words were refugee, pandemic, tsunami, and levee. Because of worldwide catastrophic events that year, we can readily understand why those words were checked.
The most popular lookup for the Merriam-Webster Online dictionary that year, however, was the word integrity. The definition given is: “firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values.” It’s used to describe those who are unwilling to be bribed or morally corrupted. Why was that word on the top of the list?
Could it be because integrity is so lacking that many don’t know what it looks like in someone’s life? Why do you think it was the number one word?
Shortly before his death, the Duke of Burgundy was presiding over the Cabinet Council of France. A proposal was made that would violate an existing treaty but would secure important advantages for the country. Many “good” reasons were offered to justify this action. The Duke listened in silence. When all had spoken, he closed the conference without giving approval. Placing his hand on a copy of the original agreement, he said with firmness in his voice, “Gentlemen, we have a treaty!”
I believe sometimes we think that whatever seems right is the right thing to do. But, if doing what seems right violates our integrity in the eyes of another, is it really worth it? Keeping our word is always the right thing to do. Jesus said, “Let your yea be yea and your nay, nay.”
A newspaper reported an unusual incident at a fast-food restaurant. The manager had put the day’s cash in a paper bag for deposit that night, but an attendant mistook it for an order and gave it to a couple at the drive-through window.
A short time later, when the man and woman opened the bag in a nearby park, they were shocked by its contents. They immediately drove back to return it.
The manager had already reported a robbery, so police cars and a TV crew were on the scene. How relieved he was to get the money back! He said to the couple, “You should be featured on the evening news for your honesty.”
“Oh, please, no publicity!” replied the man nervously. “She’s not my wife.”
People sometimes have a warped sense of integrity. This couple wanted to do the right thing on one hand, but were doing the wrong thing with the other. What do you think makes people have such a double standard?
This week we’ll look at the topic of Integrity. In June of 1994, 62,000 men gathered at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis for an event called Promise Keepers. One goal of the conference was to challenge men to demonstrate integrity by adhering to the principles for godly living set forth in the Bible. According to one report, the men started meeting that goal right away.
During a break, the hallways were jammed with men. One hungry guy who was stuck by a food stand bought a hot dog, but the mustard was clear across the concourse. Undaunted, he handed the dog to the next man and requested, “Mustard.” Off it went.
The woman who sold the snack laughed and said, “Honey, you aren’t going to see that hot dog again.” “Yes, he will,” someone replied. “These guys are Christians.” Sure enough, the hot dog made it back – with mustard.
In a world when we can’t trust one another, Christians should be a beacon in the darkness. Have you seen integrity work in your world?