Wade Lott
By WADE LOTT
“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.” – Proverbs 10:9 ESV
Who are you when no one is around?
The story we hear so often is all too familiar…another pastor is stepping down from ministry because of a failure of integrity. From all outward appearances, the pastor’s life was a model for all to follow, yet behind the scenes, the picture was quite different. What was seen in public was not what was lived out in private.
For many years, I have heard that “Integrity is who you are when no one else is looking.” I cannot remember exactly where I first heard that statement, but its truth has been a guide in my life when it comes to living with integrity.
In an article in Newsweek, in August of 1987, Billy Graham said this: “Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together. We must constantly strive to maintain our integrity. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.” So, what can we do to protect our integrity from failing? Let me share five ways that you can protect your integrity and walk securely in Christ:
1. Guard your mind and your heart – Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Take special care to guard what you allow into your mind and into your heart. Set boundaries in your life that will keep you from putting yourself into a place of temptation.
2. Be accountable to another person that is not your spouse – We all know that Scripture teaches that iron sharpens iron. Find another man who will meet with you on a regular basis and give him permission to ask hard questions about your spiritual life, your family life, and your professional life, and be honest in your response. In my own life, knowing that I am going to meet with someone who is going to ask me if I am being faithful in my quiet time, faithful in the way that I am treating my wife, and faithful in the way that I am leading in my ministry causes me to want to live with integrity that I might give a positive answer to his questions. Find a trustworthy person and hold one another accountable.
3. Practice what you preach – I know that this statement seems elementary in nature, but nothing promotes integrity more than being authentic. In his book, Developing the Leader Within You, John Maxwell said this: “Image is what people think we are. Integrity is what we really are.” Be the person that you want others to be by practicing the principles that you preach and teach.
4. Saturate yourself with Scripture – When Jesus was faced with the temptations that were presented to Him by Satan, He was able to respond with Scripture. If we will saturate our lives with Scripture, we will be able to respond with integrity in our times of struggle.
5. Choose to leave a legacy for your family – Proverbs 20:7 says, “The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him” (NKJV). Who we are at home speaks volumes more to our family than who we are in public. Again, Maxwell says, “There will be no discrepancy between what we appear to be and what our family knows we are, whether in times of prosperity or adversity.” When we have integrity, our families will be blessed.
Points to Ponder:
- Integrity is a choice that we make; choose wisely.
- Integrity lost will seldom be recovered.
- Accountability is critical to integrity.
- A life saturated with Scripture, that is applied, will be equipped to exemplify integrity
The bottom line: Pastor, protect your integrity that you might walk securely throughout all your days. Guard your integrity as a man would a valuable treasure, for if it is lost, all is lost.
___
Wade Lott is the Pastor Wellness Catalyst, Northeast Region, for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.
