Integrity

Integrity.

As I type this word, I realize that I sound old-fashioned. I'm definitely not going to win the Most Trendy Blog Award with this piece. When I was a teenager, I viewed integrity as something that older-than-me people talked about. As each year passes, I certainly find myself thinking about it more and more. I think that's because it takes years of living to see both the fruit of integrity and the toll that a lack of integrity takes on people's lives. 

If you want to get ahead...Or rather, if you don't want to get left behind or pushed aside in today's fast-obsessed, ambition-driven world, integrity oftentimes gets the shaft. Integrity is unpopular in a dog-eat-dog world. We are taught to do whatever it takes, to value trendiness and instant success over longevity, and to protect ourselves at whatever cost. Why strive for integrity when you can settle for easy? Who needs integrity when you're good at playing dirty politics? And what good is integrity if it can just get you in a tough situation? The problem with these questions is that they are short-sighted.

A chair that lacks integrity will collapse under weight. A boat that lacks integrity will sink in rough waters. A building that lacks integrity will fall when pushed by the wind. The world needs more people who can hold strong under the weight of this life, stay afloat in the midst rough waters, and stand strong when beat against by the changing winds. 

The longer you live, the more you see things - good and bad. I still like to think I'm young - I'm 34 years old - but I have seen more than my share for my age. To be honest, I probably could have said the same thing a decade ago. I saw too much in the few years immediately after college. I saw too early the havoc that a lack of integrity can leave behind. And it was all in the name of fun, ambition, and a chance to escape for a moment. I have lived long enough to see those who lack integrity prosper for a while only to have everything they touched corrode in the end. (It is heartbreaking to watch.) And I have also lived long enough to witness those who have lived with integrity come through on the other side of life's challenges and create long-lasting legacies. I have lived and seen enough to know that in the end, integrity is worth it every time.

So how can you have integrity? Build your character. Character is your substance, the stuff you're made of. Integrity is the byproduct of excellent character. Character can be good or bad. But when it comes to integrity, you either have it or you don't. So build your character: Choose right over easy. Think long instead of taking shortcuts. Face life's pain and obstacles head on, no matter how difficult they may be. Be courageous. Listen to wisdom. Hold onto God in all the seasons of life - both the good and the bad. Be consistent. Pray when it's hard to pray. Worship when it's hard to worship. Seek God when it's hard to see Him. And don't shrink away from things just because they are hard.