PROVERBS 10: WISDOM REQUIRES INTEGRITY

People who have integrity in their hearts and in their actions make decisions that keep them safe, and the path they choose to walk through life leads them to many blessings. Integrity is related to honesty and means a firm adherence to a code or standard of values. It means “simplicity,” “soundness,” and “completeness” in the online Bible Dictionary (biblestudytools.com). People with integrity are sincere and truthful, and they always keep their word.

You should say what you’re going to do and do what you say. To be a person of integrity, you will need to keep your commitments even if it is inconvenient to do so. If for some valid reason you cannot do what you said you would do, then contact the person to whom you committed. Explain that your commitment was made in haste and that you should not have obligated yourself to it, or let them know why you cannot keep your commitment at this time. Unforeseen situations do arise and prevent us from doing what we thought and said we would do. But because keeping our word is extremely important, we should never have a casual attitude about being unable to follow through on a commitment.

In one of Paul’s apostolic prayers for the church, he prays that they will recognize “what is excellent and of real value” and remain “untainted and pure” by adhering to the excellent and best things (Philippians 1:10 AMPC). Being an excellent person is part of walking in integrity.

God has called us to His own glory and excellence (2 Peter 1:3 AMPC). He is excellent, and as His followers, we should also be excellent in all we do. This means always going beyond what is expected and doing more than what is required. It means to do an excellent job at whatever we might be doing.