Is your integrity important to you? Maybe you haven’t given much thought to the issue of integrity lately, but in fact, it is far more valuable than you may realize, and is worthy of our consideration. Integrity has to do with our reputation, and living a life of integrity means that we are what we say we are.
We may be well aware of those we meet who do have integrity–and we certainly recognize those who lack it, don’t we? As human beings, we all fall short when it comes to integrity. Not one of us (myself, most definitely included!) can honestly say, “I have arrived” when it comes to integrity. But each of us can aspire to be a person whose life is characterized by integrity. People of “Integrity” are...
Invariable: They’re committed to living a highly principled life, from which they are unwilling to vary. They don’t justify their actions by thinking, “No one will see me, so it’s okay to do this” or “Everybody else does it, so I might as well do it, too.”
Noble: They repay wrongs done to them with kindness and compassion, focusing on the good they can find in situations, instead of criticizing and complaining. They strive for excellence in their relationships, desiring for the outcome to be “win-win” for all concerned.
Truthful: They value truth above all things. They say what they mean and mean what they say. They realize that there is no such thing as “just a little white lie” and their word is their bond.
Ethical: They’re moral and decent people, who have a definite sense of right and wrong, knowing it’s their personal duty to do whatever is right, even when others around them are choosing to do wrong.
Genuine: They’re authentically real, and not two–faced. You can be sure that a person of integrity will never be sweet to your face and then stab you in the back the moment you turn away.
Reliable: They follow through on the commitments they make. When they say they will do something, you know it will be done with excellence.
Incorruptible: People of integrity surround themselves with other people of integrity. They choose not to associate themselves with mediocrity, and they do not allow themselves to be corrupted by those who do not walk the path of integrity.
Thoughtful: People of intergrity put the needs and desires of others before themselves. Before acting or speaking, they ask themselves “How will this affect the other person?” and they determine not to say or do anything that they know would hurt another.
Yielded: People of integrity yield their rights to a higher cause, realizing that they must often give up their own wants and desires for the greater purpose of moral soundness and uprightness.
Real success maintains the personal integrity that comes only from doing what is right. Becoming a person of integrity is a life long process. We can choose to work on it daily, and hopefully, get a bit better at it each day that we live. Won’t you join me in the pursuit of integrity?