Even When No One Is Watching
This is integrity!
Integrity is the quality of being honest and having a consistent and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values. It is honesty and truthfulness of one’s actions. Integrity regards internal consistency as a virtue. The word integrity evolved from the Latin adjective integer, meaning “whole” or “complete”. In this context, integrity is the inner sense of “wholeness” that comes from honesty and consistency of character.
We have discussed multiple times how Saul was jealous of David and tried to kill him. In 1 Samuel 24:1-7, we see another example of Saul pursing David in the wilderness of En-gedi. David and his men were hiding in a cave when Saul went inside to relieve himself.
David’s men convinced him that God had delivered Saul into his hands. David crept up behind Saul and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe, but that was as far as he went.
David’s conscience would not allow him to take Saul’s life.
He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.”
As we have been discussing, David had a heart like God’s. Integrity is one of the qualities that aligns with His heart. David could have followed through, killed Saul, and become king … but he didn’t. He chose to follow God instead of his own desires.
David wasn’t perfect, but he had integrity.
This is how we should live. We should live with integrity, just as Jesus did, without getting caught up in doing the things the world tries to convince us to do. In Mark 12:13-14, it was evident that people recognized Jesus’ integrity.
Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch Him in His words. They came to Him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.”
Jesus lived a life of integrity. He was the same person with kings, religious leaders, community leaders, His friends, and the poor.
He didn’t change to impress people or to get His own way.
Integrity is doing the right thing everywhere, all the time. It is doing what we’re supposed to do, even when no one is watching.
It is how we should live our lives.
