"Integrity — when you do the right thing even though no one is watching." — Anonymous

Most of us want people to play by the rules and do things right. In fact, we seem to expect it from each other. However, as I watched my son play wall ball with his friends, I was reminded of another fact of life.

"I say we can bounce the ball two times," my son stated as he bounced the ball against the wall.

"No, only once," his friend replied as he watched the ball bounce twice.

"We said that whoever had the turn could change the rules," my son answered back as he caught the ball.

"Yeah, that's what we said," the third boy chimed in.

I smiled at the dilemma and decided to leave them to sort out their game. As I went back inside I thought about rule making and breaking — both perceived and actual. I realized that regardless of age, often rules are absolute to their maker but merely guidelines to those expected to comply.

Children make and break rules all the time. They sort out the group's pecking order, absolutes and preferences, and consequences of playing fair and cheating all in the process of play. While they may not have realized it, my son and his friends were sorting out issues of integrity and perspective. Having integrity means sticking to the agreed-upon rules and not adjusting them to improve the odds of winning. Pretty tough, even for adults.

A Hard Lesson About Integrity
As I reflected, I thought of a recent situation in my life in which issues of integrity, perspective, rules and choices had played a major role. As part of a parent-teacher board at a Christian school, I helped make decisions about school functions and participated in setting direction for future school growth. A vision committee was established to investigate building expansion. As a team, we worked for nearly a year to establish a comprehensive plan. Then, as we encountered the challenges of a growing organization, fund-raising and congregational input, the lines of integrity blurred.

Not unlike the kids playing wall ball, the various Christian leaders involved viewed the opportunities and decisions from different perspectives. And just like for those kids, for us the rules and guidelines became confused. We desired to live by the rules, but the rules set up the dilemma of living a life of integrity.

As Christian leaders of the vision committee, we desired to act with integrity. We tried to discern God's will — we searched the Scriptures, sought godly counsel and received confirmation. After much deliberation the committee proposed actions and initiated the work, assured that God would bless the plans and the pastor would support the much-needed improvements. But instead of the project going forward, the whole process was put on hold, the vision team ceased to exist, and school enrollment dropped dramatically. How could this be? We had obeyed God's leading and had done everything "right" to the best of our ability with all the information we had.

We had expected things to go well and God to bless the efforts. Instead, people were angry, we felt like the "bad guys," and we felt persecuted. All was not well. Integrity required that we obey God's leading, yet we had obeyed God and things still did not go as we had hoped.

We learned the hard lesson that obeying God does not mean that life will go according to our plans. However, regardless of the results, we need to live life God's way.
Integrity means doing what God leads us to do because He says so — not because of the anticipated outcome. Ultimately, the outcome is God's responsibility and not ours to decide. Unfortunately, integrity is not enough to ensure the desired or expected outcome.

All I Have Is My Integrity
Yet I struggle with this issue. If we obey God, love one another and try to live a life of integrity — shouldn't that bring good results? Aren't we admonished in Titus 2:12 to live "self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age"? Therefore, it seems to me that a life of integrity lived in faith and obedience should result in unity, peace and love. Well, apparently not always. Sometimes doing things right according to God's Word and with the best intentions leads to upheaval, persecution and discord.

So is it worth it? The vision committee spent a year praying, planning and researching, and we also commissioned a feasibility study. Integrity led us to obey. Yet it is still confusing when God appears to guide one way and we follow, but things end up in a totally different place. However, what is the alternative? In the end, all I have is my integrity. As the psalmist states in Psalm 25, "May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you."

Integrity: What Is It?
I define integrity as thoroughly being who you are, doing what you say, and saying what you do. Integrity means completeness, wholeness, soundness, honesty and sincerity. It entails being truthful, reliable and genuine. Integrity depends on sound character and can only be sustained in communion with Christ.

Jesus' life was the epitome of integrity. Even the Pharisees recognized that fact: "'Teacher,' they said, 'we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are'" (Matthew 22:16).

Integrity is essential for anyone who aspires to be like Christ — exhibiting integrity of heart, a heart wholly devoted to God without falseness or falsehood. Christ exemplified this, and He is our model, our source and our strength as we seek to become men and women of integrity.

Why do we need integrity? We need it because God blesses those who live this way. Proverbs 2:7 says, "He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless." Integrity is a wise choice, especially if we consider that the opposite would mean dishonesty, corruption, disloyalty and infidelity — not characteristics to which God's people should aspire.

Integrity Pleases God
The best reason for integrity is that God is pleased with it. King David acknowledged this fact in his prayer at the end of his life as he dedicated gifts for the building of the temple. He said, "I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity" (1 Chronicles 29:17).

So what does it mean to live a life of integrity? It means fearing God and shunning evil — like Job. It means not following the crowd in doing wrong (see Exodus 23:2). It manifests itself in honesty, sincerity and soundness in our words, thoughts and actions. It means living a life of faith and obedience — regardless of the outcome.

Test of Integrity
Undoubtedly our integrity will be tested as we face difficult situations and are forced to make the choice of going along with the world or standing up for what is right. Integrity calls us to do the right thing when it costs us something, maybe even everything. Tough times may test our integrity, but good times may test our integrity too. Maintaining integrity when we experience success, power and wealth can be equally or even more challenging. As Charles Swindoll says, "Real integrity stays in place whether the test is adversity or prosperity."

Ultimately, it becomes an issue of commitment. To whom do you belong? A life of integrity is lived not to please the crowd but to please an audience of one — God. He blesses integrity. I am learning that living a life worthy of the calling is not to be outcome-based, with an attitude of "If it feels good I will do it." Rather, a life that pleases God exhibits integrity, even if it leads to persecution or upheaval. When integrity isn't enough to ensure peace on earth and good feelings to all, integrity is still required. In the end, integrity is the only thing we have — and it is always enough to live a life that pleases God!