Integrity

Went to lunch today. Usually I go home for lunch since it is only six tenths of a mile from work: close enough to walk home and back if I want. But I digress (as usual).

Anyway, today Loralie and I went up to Vineyard Christian Fellowship for a lunch sponsored by the Integrity Resource Center. Integrity Resource Center was founded and is run by my friend Rick Boxx and this was a recruitment event for the Kansas City Faith Incorporated event on 17 April.

Rick has the "vision of restoring integrity and faith at work."

Integrity is often missing from the business world. We only have to look as far as today's headlines with Bernie Madoff going to jail for perpetrating an estimate $50 billion dollar fraud to see that this character trait is sorely absent.

Rod Handley, President of Character That Counts was the main speaker today. Rod was formerly the CFO/COO of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). A couple of points really resonated with me.

Rod said that the root word of integrity is the same as that of integer (whole number, I had to look it up, too). The quote is that: "God is interested in integers and Satan is interested in fractions." What truth is wrapped up in that statement! Satan comes only to divide and separate. But God is interested in the whole person.

Rod also pointed out several results of integrity. A couple that stuck out to me were: A clear conscience and leaving a legacy.

These are extremely important results. Having a clear conscience before God is rare. Too often we retreat into self recrimination or self justification and we never admit to God our sins, our shortcomings. And we all fall short of the glory of God!

And leaving a legacy is critical for a man today. I am not talking about the legacy of money (although that would be nice), I am talking about the legacy of my life written in the lives of my children and others. But first my children. And by living my life in integrity to the greatest degree that I can with the help of God, I will leave that legacy.

I referee soccer. Frequently, prior to a game, I've had a parent or coach jokingly (I assume) ask me how much it would cost for their team to win the game. My response is always the same: "You don't have that much money." A couple of times, I've had a guy get his back up and say: "How do you know how much money I have?" And my response is always that my integrity is not for sale at any price.

That is an easy one. As Rod pointed out out, we need to exhibit integrity in all the little things too. For if I sell my integrity for a dollar, I might as well sell it for more.

May you walk in integrity in all that you do.