Integrity
“What good is it for someone to gain
the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”
– Mark 8:36
“Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive
one another.” – Leviticus 19:11
He’s nearing the end of his career. Over the years he’s
formed friendships that blur the lines of objectivity. It’s easy to slip a
little here, a little there. What difference does it make, after all?
He was once a good man. He was a man of integrity. At
least, that’s what they say. It isn’t evident now. He cuts corners. He’s
dishonest. He doesn’t follow regulations. And, most of the time, he doesn’t try
to hide it.
He’s not a bad person. He’s someone you would like. He’s
just like you and me. He’s a regular guy who goes to work everyday and puts in
his time. He’s heading toward a pension. He’s got retirement in his sights. I
wonder sometimes if he realizes how easily he could lose it all. Maybe
arrogance and time have made him feel immune. He isn’t.
Maybe you would never compromise your integrity for a
job. Are you sure? I have a friend who is a firm believer in showing up, doing
your job, and going home. Don’t get involved in anything you don’t need to be
involved in, he says. Don’t pay attention to what someone else might being
doing. Just do your thing and let it be.
But is that the right thing to do? Should we turn a
blind eye to behavior that is wrong, dishonest, illegal? If we do that, are we
part of the problem? We relax our own standards when we refuse to speak up
against something that is wrong.
Whatever you do, work at it with all
your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. – Colossians 3:2
I represent Jesus, whether I am at church, at home or
in the workplace. That’s true of every believer. We are His light, His hands
and feet, in this world. If we ignore wrong behavior, how can we expect anyone
else to step up and do something?
Jesus always defended the underdog. He reached out to
the outcast, the sinner, those who were hurting and desperate. He never once
said it was someone else’s problem. Jesus directed His disciples to do the
same. We’re to speak up when something wrong is happening.
It’s not an easy task. Do you confront the wrongdoer
directly? Do you go to someone higher up, risking that he might also be
involved too? Do you remain silent?
And do you participate, directly or indirectly, in
what’s happening? What do you do when a supervisor tells you to do something
that you know is wrong? Do you have the courage to walk away from a paycheck if
that means keeping your integrity? Do you trust God enough to refuse to be
sucked into wrongdoing?
Paul tells us to do everything as though we are
working for the Lord. Would Jesus look the other way? Would Jesus risk
everything to be honest? Would Jesus do what was right no matter the cost?
That’s how you live your life. It’s the difference
between being a person who lives his faith and being a person who doesn’t.
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