What Ever Happened to Integrity

What Ever Happened to Integrity

This is a talk I gave Last Sunday at New Day Fellowship in Cuyahoga Falls, OH


Many people’s motto is “Image is Everything” We are often more worried about our image, than the substance of who we are.

Notice in this scene from Evan Almighty how concerned Evan Baxter is about his image as a Congressman.

Scene: 8:26--11:46

Concern over image is not bad. I have a friend who lets the hair grow in his ears to the point of being bushy. I wish he was more interested in his image.

Substance is of significantly greater value than image: Not what we look like, but who we are; Not our appearance, but our character.

To help us understand Integrity, let’s look at what integrity is not.

I. What integrity is not

A. Integrity is not putting on a show.

One pastor, years ago, was preaching when a woman walked in the church and shot him dead in the pulpit. It turns out he had been having an affair with this woman. The hidden aspect of his life came to light in this horrible way.

He had been putting on a show. His thought life and private actions did not agree with this public image. This is called hypocrisy.

B. Integrity is not a one time shot.

You don’t become a person of integrity overnight.

We are an instant culture. We love our fast food. We do not like sitting in the Doctor’s office for an hour. We want another lane to open at Wal-Mart if there are more than two people in front of us.

Character is developed over time. Character happens through a series of choices which a person makes. Paul shows in this passage from Romans that integrity has to do with persistence.

Romans 2
6God "will give to each person according to what he has done."[a] 7To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

There is a day in and day out quality to integrity.

A person of integrity realizes that a reputation is a fragile thing.

“A single lie destroys a whole reputation for integrity”
Baltasar Gracian (Spanish Philosopher and Writer from 1600’s)

Walter Concrite died last week at age 92. Someone described him as the most trusted man in America. This reputation came from years of good non-partisan reporting. He was known for reporting the facts. As a result he was invited into the living rooms of a whole generation of Americans.

C. Integrity is not something I have to drum up in my own strength.

All that I do comes through God’s strength.

In John 15, Jesus is speaking to us:

4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

The burden is taken off of me when I realize I have God’s strength that can help me be a good person.

D. Integrity is not just being true to yourself.

Integrity has come to mean being true to yourself. The problem with that is that people are sinful. What self am I going to be true to?. The self that desires to cheat on tests and get high?

No, integrity has to do with being committed to principles of truth. Those principles have been laid out by God in the Bible.

Things like speaking truth, acting in kindness to your neighbor, loving God with all my heart are the correct things for us all to strive for.

Character is developed when the heart is touched by truth.
Bill Thrall (Leadership Catalyst)

E. Not living with a mask

Integrity is where I willingly admit my weakness, acknowledge I am on my way like every other person in the world. It is being on the outside what I am on the inside.

What is integrity.

Enhancing our image is relatively easy, but keeping a good character is relatively hard. It is not a quick fix. It is a choice year after year after year.

The other day I went out in my backyard and saw that a picket on the fence had the top broken off. A little boy named Raymond always plays there and so I knew he probably broke it. I was out one night, and I said to him. Hey the picket has been broken off here, if you happen to see the picket while you are playing could you bring it to me so I can glue it on?

He said, “It was me, I broke the picket.” I really praised him for telling the truth. Yesterday I saw him, and said, “There’s that honest guy.” Raymond is beginning his journey toward integrity.

A. Definition of Integrity

Integrity may be seen as the quality of having a sense of honesty and truthfulness in regard to the motivations for one's actions. The term "hypocrisy" is used in contrast to integrity... Wikipedia

Another thought is that “Integrity is doing what is right, even when others are not watching”.

B. Couple of Quotes on Integrity

“The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.”
Dwight David Eisenhower

And that’s from a politician.

“Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you.”
Jackson Brown, Jr. author of Life's Little Instruction Book)

III. Character Ladder

When I was thinking about integrity I thought of an illustration that I heard at a conference put on by Leadership Catalyst. Many of the concepts in this section come from Leadership Catalyst. There were two ladders of growth, one without character, and one with character.

The first ladder was called the Capacity Ladder. Many of you have seen this at work, when a person is put in leadership before he or she is personally ready for leadership.

One of our girls had a young boss at work that told her she was going to be let go because of the economy. She was weeping for a half hour. He finally told her he was kidding. Later he discussed this with her and it was a big wake-up call for him. His position was clearly ahead of his character development.

The leader growing up the Capacity Ladder is often isolated from others. His job responsibility gets ahead of his character. A leader who has not seriously worked on his character may have a horrible fall when he is at the apex of leadership.


Rung 1: The person has natural leadership abilities.

Bernie Madoff was a hard worker, working while going to law school

Rung 2. The person develops those gifts through training, education.

He developed a program that is used today as the foundation to the NASDAQ.

Rung 3: He or she gets validated by being given title and a position.

He was on all sorts of boards, and was a consultant to regulators on the investment industry in Washington DC

Rung 4: Exhalation People presume maturity in the leader and therefore give misplaced trust.

Bernie was at the top. People trusted him with their whole life savings. Charities gave him extra money to invest for them.

But because his character was not strong and developed he used the vulnerability of these people to hurt them, and used them. When the financial boom stopped in 2008 his house of cards came crashing down and left devastation in its wake.

90 year old people having to go back to work because their life savings were destroyed. Charities had to close because they were bankrupt.

Is there a better way? How can I grow so that my capacity does not outgrow my maturity and character? Let’s look together at the Character ladder.

Before looking at the rungs of the ladder it is important to see one of the great differences between the two ladders.

The person climbing the Character Ladder has to let other people in. If I remain proud and aloof from people I will not see my weaknesses as easily, and will not get them repaired. The first two rungs require vulnerability to other people and to God.

Rung 1: Humility

Pride can keep us from listening to God and to others. It gives us a sense that we are above others and can therefore use them for our purposes.

I need to lay aside independent use of my abilities and time.

I use my gifts under the authority of God and learn from trusted friends how to be the best person I can be.

Psalm 149:4
For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.
NIV

1 Peter 5:5
Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."


Humility frees God to be able to show his strength through a person.


Rung 2: Submission

If I am a humble person I will be willing to be under another person’s authority.

Jesus is our best example of humility and submission to the Father’s will.
Phil 2: 8-11
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus completely submitted himself to God the Father.

Rung 3: Obedience

A humble person, willing to do things God’s way, leads perfectly to obeying God.

Romans 6:17 “But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed.”


You can see how this ladder is so different from the Capacity Ladder. Character keeps up with growth in skills on the job.

Rung 4: Suffering
Problem, we do not want to suffer but suffering brings maturity

Joseph--As a young person he was sold into slavery and was falsely accused and thrown into prison. These experiences helped him to be ready to be a leader.

I Peter 4:19 Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God so trust their souls to the faithful creator in doing what is right.


John 15
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful.

There have been horrible things that have happened to me, but God has used them to bring maturity in my life.

Rung 5: Maturity, Character

As a mature person I do what is right, though I feel like it or not.
I will have the inner strength to be others-centered rather than self-centered.

Col 3:12-17

12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Rung 6: Exaltation

The top of the ladder is the same as the capacity ladder. Now, however, I become a leader with a solid foundation of character development.

Here is what is different about this ladder. My influence is used by God to bless others rather than use them.

If God exalts us too quickly pride takes over and we fall. God is correct to make the process slow.

I have several last comments about the Character Ladder. Leadership Catalyst points out that:

Influence is based on the pursuit of humility, not power and position.
You now influence because of who you are, not what you can do.
Do not pursue suffering. Suffering is the result of being Godly.
Do not pursue exaltation. Pursue humility. Pursue obedience of heart.

Daily Thinking and Actions that Lead to Integrity

Here are a few thoughts about choices you can make that lead to integrity.

Speak the truth. When we have a habit of telling the truth people can trust us.

Don’t take advantage of vulnerable people. Build up, encourage, serve and strengthen the vulnerable.

Love doing what is right. Let it get into your DNA.

Take time to develop your relationship with God. Reading a Proverb daily is a good beginning.

Character is not something that happens from going with the flow, doing what comes naturally.

My character is developed by making a choice of my will to obey God’s principles.

Haymaker

God will fill in our character:

A famous pianist Pat Oriski was playing. A child slipping away from parents got on the stage and started to play chopsticks. Orisiki told him to keep playing. Oriski played all around the chopsticks and filled in where the child messed up. That is what Christ does for us. The master of integrity is with us. He will is here too, to make some grand music through us.


When I am true to God and his principles it is really cool. I really find myself. God uses my personality, background, experiences, education and relationships of my life to create something that is truly me. A fully integrated personality centered around the truth of who God is who I am, made in his likeness.

My life takes on value, because I am part of a big plan that God has to bring people back to himself and restore the relationship broken by our sin.