Sep 23, 2013
Walking in Integrity (Proverbs 10:9)
by Pastor Shay Rankhorn
To all of you who misread the schedule and thought you were getting an eight-minute massage, I do apologize. Maybe next year we can get that on the Conference schedule!
Several of us have been asked to speak this week with the challenge to keep our messages to eight minutes. Wow. Asking a pastor—in fact, a slow-talking Southern pastor—to speak for only eight minutes? Brother Ralph believes in miracles, doesn’t he?
Well, to try to make that happen I’m going to play a trick on myself. What comes to mind when a pastor makes the statement, “In closing”? Usually that means another 10 minutes of sermon, right?
So, “In closing…”
In keeping with our Conference theme, “Forward In His Footsteps,” let’s look at Proverbs 10:9—“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.”
“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely.” Now the word “securely” here refers to not stumbling, but what exactly is integrity and what does it mean to walk in integrity?
Integrity is a combination of our ethics and morals and their reflection in our life. It is more than just what we say we believe about how we should act and live, but the reflection of those beliefs in our life—both as seen by others and even during those times when only God is looking.
We can easily look in Scripture and see men who acted with integrity. When told to worship someone or something other than God, Daniel acted with integrity despite the cost to his own life. The reason he did this was because it was already his daily habit to act with integrity. In Daniel 6:10 it says, “Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”
Daniel was able to act with integrity in this extreme circumstance because he was already walking in integrity every day. Just as the writer in Proverbs has stated, Daniel was secure in deciding to honor God because he was walking in integrity. He was able to make the right decision because it was what his beliefs demanded. He rose to that challenge, secure in the knowledge that regardless of the outcome he was doing the right thing.
Integrity is what the “What Would Jesus Do” movement was all about. The purpose was to remind ourselves to act with integrity by allowing our belief in Christ and the commandments of God to direct our actions every moment of every day. Jesus was our model for this while on earth.
In Matthew 4 we find that when faced with temptation in the wilderness, Jesus acted with integrity. Jesus’ belief in His Father was evident in His response to the temptations Satan brought to bear. He was able to respond with confidence, secure in the knowledge of the Scriptures’ direction and guidance.
When faced with the greatest test anyone has ever faced (in the garden of Gethsemane), integrity enabled Jesus to say, “Nevertheless, not My will but Thine be done.” We know that as God, He could have called down a host of angels to deliver Him at any moment during His torture and crucifixion, yet His integrity enabled Him to endure the cross (Hebrews 12), knowing it was the right thing to do despite the shame.
You see, integrity is not just what you say you believe, but the evidence of those beliefs in your actions. Yet integrity is such a foreign word in today’s culture that I thought I would leave you with some examples given by Jon Walker of how we should act with integrity.
–People with integrity live by fairness, even when fairness puts them at a disadvantage or causes them significant difficulty. They fight fair even when those around them do not.
–People of integrity consider their word their bond, allowing their “yes” to mean “yes” and their “no” to mean “no.”
–People of integrity are authentic and transparent; they act the same, no matter who is present. Their lives are “what you see is what you get.”
–People of integrity are straightforward in their conduct. They don’t hide what they’re doing, and they don’t say one thing and do another. They are people “in whose spirit is no deceit” (Psalm 32:2 NIV).
–People with integrity explain the facts in an even-handed manner, not in a way that makes them look better than the other person. They are respectful, helpful and gracious to everyone and anyone.
–People of integrity go the extra mile with a smile. They do more than is required of them.
–People of integrity are not afraid to ask for help. They’re not afraid to let God be their strength. They’re able to handle tough situations, knowing God is at work in them.
–People of integrity focus on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable,” anything at all that is excellent or praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8 NIV).
In closing… Whoops! Almost gave myself some more time.
Our verse says, “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely.” How many of us would love to never stumble in our walk with God? This Scripture makes it clear that we can keep ourselves from stumbling when we commit ourselves to walk in integrity.
Now that we know what integrity is, I leave you with this challenge today: Walk in integrity. Press “Forward in His Footsteps.” Walk on the path of integrity, secure in the knowledge that you are doing what Jesus would do.
