You Are Not the Only One

Discussion Board Forum # Leadership 510 Spring 2015 @ Liberty.edu

Identify an instance of an integrity check, word check, or obedience check (Clinton, chapter 3) in your life or the life of someone you have observed. Analyze it in terms of the elements of personal growth and expansion. Describe how God used the check in your life and in the lives of those in your circle of influence.

       Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,  but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out. (Prov 10:9) As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, ⁵ I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.(I Kings 9:4-5).keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (I Pet 3:16)

When was the last time that your integrity was checked?  Do you have experiences when you say one thing in the church, but do the complete opposite when placed under pressure?  Let me tell you a story that I know about.

A Director of  Federal Projects for a small school district experienced an integrity check when she was asked to do something that would have jeopardized her job.   When she refused to follow the directive, she was advised by her supervisor that she could easily be fired.  The Director respectfully affirmed that her supervisor could fire her for following the federal law, but she would not violate the law by expending funds that were not allowable expenditures.

Why was this incident an integrity check? J. Robert Clinton defines integrity as, “The uncompromising adherence to a code of moral, artistic, or other values reveals itself in sincerity, honesty, and candor and avoids deception or artificiality. [1]   The director had to determine whether she was going to steal from the government and keep her job or follow the federal law and possibly lose her job. This integrity check established “an inner value of restitution which tests honesty”.[2]  What would have happened to the director’s testimony if she made the wrong choice? The Heavenly Father gives us integrity choices.  He gave Israel one, but he also gave them a suggestion as to what choice to make. “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life” (Deut 30:19-20 NIV). A leader’s Inner-Life Growth phase must be compliant with the word of God.  Clinton surmises that God uses integrity checks to “test a leader’s intentions”.[3]

         This integrity check grew the supervisor’s level of integrity.  The supervisor realized that she should never falsify information and or steal from the federal government.  She also realized that she had hired a person who would rather lose her job than compromise her integrity.  The position of Director of Federal Projects called for such a person.   The integrity affirmed to every member of the team that integrity is not something that one demonstrates when it is beneficial to them.  

The word of God directs us to ” do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men.” (2 Cor 8:21). God wants us to, “have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.” (Heb 13:19).   The world is experiencing a crisis in leadership today.  The Body of Christ-Christians should be the benchmark for leadership with integrity.  If we are cheating, stealing, talking trash, and back-biting them how are we demonstrating the integrity of our Lord?  We must pray for each others brothers and sisters.  We are the salt of this earth when we lose our flavor the world is plunged into the depths of integrity darkness.  Be courageous my dear brothers and sisters stand up for what is right.  God will bless your efforts.

Salt and Light

 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven/ (Matthew 5:13-16 NIV)

Notes

Bibliography

Clinton, J. Robert. The Making of a Leader. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2012.