the basic message #E5
Titus 2:7-8
In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.
I was doing some editing on this weeks
devotional when my 17 year-old daughter happened by. “Hey
Dad- today I was in a tie for the ‘Person with the
most integrity in the Senior class’.” Many of you
are either nearing college age, or are a parent of one nearing
college age. In our household, discussions about
scholarships, the cost of college, and the importance of making
the best grades possible take center-stage. In that brief
conversation with my daughter, I was reminded of the really
important things in life, and I felt compelled to write a new
devotional for this week. The Bible tells us much about
integrity, and I never really studied the topic before. Try
this one on for size:
2 Thessalonians 3:11-13
We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busy-bodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.
“…never tire of doing what
is right.” Perhaps many of us tire from doing right
since we don’t see any profit for our actions. Doing
what is right, I believe, is a type of “Heavenly Treasure”
that is stored away for our pleasure in eternity. Let’s
face it, the “Nice guys finish last” mentality is
dominant in our world, so many don’t see any benefit in
taking the high road. Years down the road, academic
achievements and scholastic awards will fade into distant
memories, but integrity will follow us like a shadow. Integrity
is discussed quite often in the OT as well:
Zechariah 8:16-17
“These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the Lord.
“Little white lies” have become
the norm for many of us. In some cases, the hard truth
serves to destroy rather than to build-up, so we must be very
careful to discern when to step away from solid truth. This
may sound confusing, so let me provide an example: Christy
thinks Ben is going around campus saying unkind things about her.
Christy asks Tiffany to confirm this. Tiffany, in all
honesty, can indeed confirm Ben’s slander, but what purpose
would that serve? Perhaps a better solution would be this
response from Tiffany: “Christy, if Ben is saying something
untrue about you, isn’t that his problem? And if
Ben
is right, doesn’t that put the ball back in your court?”
Sometimes we get too legalistic in our feelings about telling the
truth. The truth should always build-up and never tear down.
After all:
An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips. Proverbs 24:26
Have you kissed or been kissed with honesty
lately? It’s mighty tasty.