1 Samuel 12:3-5 NLT
Now testify against me in the presence of the Lord and before his anointed one. Whose ox or donkey have I stolen? Have I ever cheated any of you? Have I ever oppressed you? Have I ever taken a bribe and perverted justice? Tell me, and I will make right whatever I have done wrong.” “No,” they replied, “you have never cheated or oppressed us, and you have never taken even a single bribe.” “The Lord and his anointed one are my witnesses today,” Samuel declared, “that my hands are clean.” “Yes, he is a witness,” they replied.
The life of Samuel presents a worthy model and challenge to all ministers of the Gospel and born-again Christians. In Samuel’s farewell address to Israel, He availed himself to public scrutiny, challenging them to testify against him in any area he might have erred as a leader. He asked them if he had ever broken any promise or failed to deal fairly with them. Their conclusion was unanimous – he had lived a blameless life. And God was a witness to that. To Samuel, that meant they did not seek a king because, as a judge, he had done something ethically wrong.
Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles, holding our way of life together. It is a doorway to destiny fulfillment and a secret of a successful life. Integrity is doing the right thing in all circumstances, no matter the consequences and whether or not anyone is watching. As we appreciate light in the darkness, our integrity is most appreciated anywhere, especially where evil prevails. It is written in Job 27:6, “I will maintain my innocence without wavering. My conscience is clear for as long as I live.” Integrity was the secret behind the solid destiny of Job. Our lives count, but not without integrity. Therefore, know that our integrity speaks louder than our voice! If we see ourselves as working for God rather than men, we will seek to please God, and the result will be that we will also deal with others truthfully and fairly. Charles Reade once said, “Sow an act, and we reap a habit. Sow a habit, and we reap a character. Sow a character, and we reap a destiny.” It’s easier to build character and guard it than rebuild it after losing it. Dishonesty may provide instant gratification but will never last, and it has deadly consequences. Proverbs 20:17 says, “Stolen bread tastes sweet, but it turns to gravel in the mouth.”
Beloved, make up your mind to maintain solid integrity to fulfil destiny. You must demonstrate integrity in all your endeavors, without exception, because everything righteous begins and ends with God. Stand for the truth and live a life devoid of offense, both towards God and man. Live like Samuel because integrity automatically confers God’s blessings on you, ushering you into supernatural dimensions. Avoid anyone without integrity. Because if you surround yourself with the dishonest and those willing to cut corners to get ahead, you will find yourself enduring, accepting, and finally adopting their behavior. No matter what is happening in your life or what the world may be doing, you have to keep doing what is right. Always have your hands clean. Finally, when you feel most tempted to indulge in self-destructive behavior, open the Bible, find inspiration in verses on integrity, and pray to God for His Guidance. Remember, the value of the trust others have in you goes beyond anything that is measured because it has its rewards.
O Lord, give me the grace to live a life of integrity. Help me resist the temptation to defile my conscience in order not to lose my destiny in Jesus’ Name.