I love the word “integrous.” It does not seem to be, in fact, a real word…but a google search shows that a few others besides me have used it. I use “integrous” to describe a person of integrity, or a respectable decision that shows integrity, honor, and truth. I believe we all inherently desire and expect truth. We want someone to be who they say they are, do what they say they will do, sell the quality product they purport to sell…just be honest.
Sometimes when there is a blatant disregard for the truth, it shows up as a news story. We all remember Lance Armstrong being stripped of seven Tour de France titles for doping. Undeniably, he is a remarkable athlete…but he broke the rules and lied about it. As sad as that story was, I felt a strong sense of justice and rightness with that decision. Something within us knows cheaters shouldn’t win. More recently, Brian Williams was suspended from his NBC news anchor position after the facts of some of his reported events were called into question. We expect a newsperson to deliver the facts. Not to do so is recognized as wrong, universally.
To me, the most poignant recent story along these lines is the one about the Chicago Little League baseball team stripped of its title for falsifying geographical boundaries to include players that most likely helped them win the Little League Championship last year. Though district presidents denied it until they no longer could, it appears that they knowingly broke the rules to stack a winning team. Little League International CEO, Stephen D. Keener, said this “heartbreaking decision (to take away the title) was necessary to maintain the integrity of the Little League program.”
I don’t know who all was culpable in that bending of the rules…did the parents of the players outside the legal district know what was going on? Who could have spoken up before that time? It took the persistence of a ridiculed league vice president, Chris Janes, to bring the injustice to light. When facing a lot of criticism in the early stages, he said, “I have no regrets. I feel like we’re doing the right thing and we just have to keep moving forward.”
What is the lesson here for us? I think we ought to renew our commitment to follow godly principles each time we find ourselves criticizing the wrongdoing of another. We ought to “beware lest (we) fall from (our) own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked. But, grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:17-18). We all can feel tempted to break the rules, or embellish our story, for the praise of men. But, once we give in to that temptation, trust is destroyed…our integrity crumbles, affecting all of our relationships.
We are all in need of growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ, no matter where we are on our journey with Him. And, what a joy to know we get to keep learning from our Father until the day we will meet him face to face! Not only is He able to keep us from stumbling (Jude 2:24), but He is also our steady provider of Truth. Proverbs 22:20-21 is a comfort and strength to me: “Have I not written to you excellent things of counsels and knowledge, that I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, that you may answer words of truth to those who sent you.”
So, even if it’s not popular…even if you are ridiculed, keep doing the right thing— moving forward in an honorable way. If you end up in the news, let it be because of your righteousness and not your deception. Line up your life with the certainty of His truth. Be integrous!!
Jo is a Licensed Professional Counselor at St. Mark’s. You can reach her by phone (601- 259-1749) or email (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)).
