January 16 – Integrity
Paul Almquist
Read: James
2:14-26
Integrity is
not only important to Friends, but in some way to most people. Isn’t it true
that if you do business with someone you sure hope they are a person of
integrity? When you take your car to the mechanic you want them to fix only
what really needs to be fixed and charge you a fair price.
The apparent
lack of integrity that surrounds us these days makes it a powerful testimony
when we act with integrity and do so in the name of Christ. I like to think of
integrity as integrating what we believe
into what we do. We have a document as Friends known as “Faith and
Practice.” Maybe we could say faith as practice, faith with practice or even
perhaps faith-practice. You really cannot have one without the other: word
matched with deed, belief demonstrated by action. If we act as if what we
believe is not really true, then we may have to ask if we really believe it in
the first place.
That doesn’t
negate the need for grace. In fact, one of the greatest ways we can show we are
people of integrity is by admitting our mistakes, shortcomings and sins and
seeking the forgiveness we need. If my integrity is formed out of my experience
of God’s grace and the grace of others I will not be able to be “proud” of my
integrity. My actions will simply be a humble “thank you” to God and others.
Queries:
Do I practice
integrity in all I do?
I say I believe in
peace – do I get along with my own family?
I desire global
justice – do I show compassion for my neighbor who is being oppressed in some
way?
I “go” to church on Sunday – do I act like I “am” the
church the rest of the week?
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