Sometimes, it’s not enough for us to be satisfied with our integrity.
We need to do what we can to demonstrate that integrity to others.
For there are plenty of people whose personal standards are acceptable to them yet those same standards miss the mark of acceptability in the eyes of others.
Particularly God.
You might work with people who have no qualms about cheating their employer with pilfering (“I should be paid more and I’m just compensating a bit“) yet most co-workers would see the behavior as stealing.
It is so important — particularly for Christians — to protect against any criticism of personal integrity.
For if our walk doesn’t match our talk, then our words about faith will have little or no positive influence in others’ lives.
The Apostle Paul knew this and that’s why he wrote the words of 2 Corinthians 8:20-21.
“We are traveling together to guard against any criticism for the way we are handling this generous gift. We are careful to be honorable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to see that we are honorable.”
Paul was talking about the stewardship of a very large amount of money that had been collected from various Christian churches for the sake of famine- and persecution-ravaged Christians in Israel.
Paul’s conscience was clear in knowing that the offering quantity was not being handled as a slush fund for cushy travel, but instead as a precious possession of God for the sake of His suffering saints in Jerusalem and surrounding regions.
But that wasn’t good enough.
Paul knew that Satan could have a corrosive field day with spreading poison if believers thought the top leaders of faith were dipping into the money bag for themselves.
Here’s the point — Satan is pre-disposed to fueling division via lies. Let’s do our best to not give him any facts of our failure that will fuel the flames of doubt and division.
Let’s do everything with the integrity of Christ, keeping the fuel away from the Enemy, whether at work or home or school or church.
For there is NO way that the penny we pinch from a purse that isn’t ours will not turn out to be very costly when we have to give an accounting to God for our life choices.
As always, I love you
Martin
