Integrity Issues

 “Sir, I have a question”, said one of my students “suppose we were visited by armed robbers, who requested for our belongings and I have two phones but hid one and only presented the other as all I had”, Do I have integrity? The student’s question was a very interesting one.

We were discussing the integrity example of Samuel. To buttress the lesson and to show how integrity “is way beyond saying, we will come to your streets and raid and rape and steal by next week. Signed – Armed robbers”. And then, next week, in keeping to their words they came and stole, raped and raided the street. Is that integrity?

The problem of corruption in Nigeria is a problem of lack of integrity! From God’s stand point of view, integrity is a departure from sin and a consistent embrace of God’s righteous words in an individual, public and private life. Can an unbeliever who is naturally careless be a person of integrity? Not impossible. He may conduct his public life and particularly his transparent and accountable ways in a manner that’s praise worthy! That notwithstanding, in other areas of His life, and as far as God is concerned, the man is certainly not a person of integrity! Why? Because “integrity is not subjective; it’s a matter of obedience to God!”

Integrity is a matter of choosing obedience to God’s word, over and above personal gain. Integrity is preferring to be poor rather than to be a liar. Integrity is living blamelessly, and beyond reproach! Integrity is doing all things to the Glory of God. However, in the world we live in today, integrity will cost us, at some points. Though it would pay off on the long run as is usually all God’s ways! We do not always get instantaneous rewards for every obedience to God, but God who cannot lie is always ever a rewarder of them that diligently obey/seek Him.

Integrity would not always be a strait jacket affair in this crooked world. Rehab took the initiative and hid the two Israeli spies and lied that they were not at her place anymore. Samuel was told by God to say that he had come to make sacrifices, though the major/primary business was to anoint David a king?

How does one tick the box of integrity in these situations? Whenever we choose to align ourselves to God’s purposes, and in bid to uphold righteousness, the Holy Spirit will guide us in how to choose to obey & please him in integrity! Rehab acted righteously and so did Samuel because when Human laws/words conflict with God’s, we must prefer the latter. Receive grace for integrity! 

Are you been fair...?

James chapter 5 captures my heart in a very captivating complex reeking of the prophetic – the end of ill-gotten wealth and the vast majority of men whose heart have been lost in the maze of seeking and amassing it at all costs; the corruption that is rife in a world where money is king; the coming doom of the age and the judgment of sinful rich men whose overly bloated riches/wealth is an evidence against them; and lots more.

I can not but  see how James aptly captured the destruction of this world, as he uses words like: “Your gold and silver is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire”. By the word “fire” he immediately alludes to the destruction of this world (the earth & the heavens) by fire. And to make certain that his Christian audience recognizes this allusion, he adds “ye have heaped pressure together for the last days”. By using the words “lastdays” he again strikes of the inevitable future judgment that would come on the heels of the last days.

I must quickly add that his next line of thought brings to us some of the realities of the unjust and greedy ways riches were being gotten and amassed! He calls with urgency. “Behold!” It was something to strike a point! Hired labourers are not being treated fairly! The situation of the labour market, which leaves a vast majority jobless and small enviable few employed has created a great imbalance which the rich are bent of making the most profit of --an arguably ruthless profit! Taking occasion of the fact that there was no employment the poor would be left with no choice than to accept the excessively meagre pay. Since they had little or no option if they must not die of hunger! Yet at times, the employers devise ways to punish the poor by withholding or slashing their pay at the slightest provocation.

In doing this, while the rich are enjoying themselves living in the pleasure of their ill-gotten riches, they kill and condemn the poor to further poverty so the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

And just before we think we are not guilty ourselves of the “sins” of the “rich” we need to examine ourselves too.

When we have agreed to pay a certain sum to those who have worked for us, do we actually pay? When we know that those who have worked for us, (e.g. our tailors, cobblers etc.) have actually done well, and we know we can pay them better, do we actually pay them in a manner they can turn to their God and thank God for making you one of their customers? Or are you the type that quarrel with those who have worked for you, finding all kinds of faults with their jobs, just so that you can have a reason to pay them less than what has been agreed?

Examine yourself!

James would offer a rather interesting encouragement and advice to the believers whereunto he wrote in the verses to follow: The first thing he urges upon them is this: Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord.

This advice interests my heart a lot! We must not fail to take home a big but silent point that comes with it: THE END OF THIS UNJUST SYSTEM OF THIS WORLD IS NEAR! THE LORD IS COMING! HAVE PATIENCE!

The way James deems it fit to encourage, was by pointing them, FIRST, to the coming of the Lord! It pays to reflect on this point, so that we do not miss the implications of what James said: THIS WORLD IS INCURABLY CORRUPT, and can only be SUSTAINED by us – the light & the salt, till the return of Christ! #selah

Next, James proceeds to lay guidelines to how we must live in order to be the change we desperately need to be!! Grudge not one another, learn to suffer* in patience, be happy to endure, just like job, swear not – let your integrity be above board that you don’t have to!

Then he concludes, by telling us to pray for the sick --- not wait for the Lord’s coming (clearly showing that there are certain things we must be able to change for Good, and not just wait till Jesus comes!) Then he tells us about the secret of effective praying – fervency & fellowship with the holy spirit! And he urges us towards, evangelism & soul winning, & restoration of the erring saint!