What is the world coming to?
A few decades ago, that question usually came from my grandma as she watched the latest television show.
But lately I find myself parroting the exact same thing. Lack of morality now seems the norm instead of the exception.
And while our current culture might try to convince us that good old-fashioned virtues like integrity just aren’t that relevant anymore, the exact opposite is true. God has shown me time and again why integrity is important–now more than ever.
Let me explain with a story…
A choice to make…
I blinked and took another look at the self-checkout screen.
Nope. I hadn’t misread it. But $3.00 for that pair of sunglasses couldn’t be right.
I’d ran into the store on a break from work to grab a cheap pair to replace the ones that had suddenly snapped in two. And $3.00 was definitely cheap. But, the sign above the sunglasses stand had ranged from $12.00 to $20.00.
I sighed and looked around for a store clerk. I was running short on time and had really hoped this would be a quick stop. But my conscience wouldn’t let me leave without double-checking that price.
Rinse and repeat…
I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve experienced a similar situation.
Like the time I realized I’d received too much change AFTER the kids were loaded in the car. I gritted my teeth and took everyone back inside to correct the mistake.
Or when I discovered a tiny item buried under a bag of groceries as I loaded everything in the trunk.
It had missed the scanner.
Yep, you guessed it. Back inside with the whole crew again.
Then, there’s all the times I’ve felt prompted to return a loose cart to the parking lot stall instead of walking on by. A cart that someone ELSE left out.
Or all the moments when that same tugging at my conscience made me return an item that I decided not to purchase to the correct shelf instead of leaving it in a random place. And of course, that spot was usually on the other side of the store.
I could go on. But I think you get the point.
Not a single one of those examples were huge moral dilemmas. In fact, they could be brushed off as annoyances that didn’t deserve the time or effort required to make them right.
They were small things. Little stuff. Inconsequential.
Not so insignificant after all…
And yet, I firmly believe those things matter. They’re not insignificant at all. Because in a world that’s lost its moral compass, Christians are called higher.
We’re expected to do the right thing–no matter how big or small that might seem.
We return too much change. We pay for the missed item. We put the shopping cart away. We replace the unwanted object to the right spot.
Even if it’s annoying, inconvenient, or we just don’t want to.
Integrity isn’t just about the big moments. Living with virtue happens in the gray areas, the small decisions, the seemingly insignificant choices.
The world might not see it that way. But as Christians, we have to.
A choice to make…
Back to the sunglasses…I could have just paid for them and left. But that didn’t sit right. The Holy Spirit was at work again–telling me this was another opportunity to be reminded of why integrity is important.
So, I tracked down a store clerk. I explained the situation. Just like I expected (and secretly hoped), she told me to go ahead with the purchase. I wasn’t surprised. But I left the store with my $3.00 sunglasses and my peace of mind.
The blessings of living with integrity…
I’ve noticed a few things about responding with integrity.
First, God blesses it. Whether it’s a pair of super cheap sunglasses, the gratitude of a clerk, or simply a feeling of peace, God always rewards my obedience.
Second, even though it seems like my small acts go unnoticed, that’s usually not true. That store clerk took note of my decision to double-check the price. She just waved me on through.
But many others in similar situations have commented with surprise on my decision to take the moral high road. It makes an impact on them because it’s not something they see every day.
And whether a stranger notices or not is really just icing on the cake. Because my real audience is the three kiddos who are almost always in tow. They watch me like a hawk. They have a front row seat to my decisions. And they take notice when I do (or don’t!) get it right.
Why is integrity important? The world is watching. Our kids are watching. And our actions are much more powerful than our words.
Why integrity is important…
Now let me be clear…I don’t always get this right. There’s been many times when I’ve pushed aside that prompting from the Holy Spirit or ignored that nudge from my conscience. And while I’m not proud of those moments, they’ve only reinforced why integrity is important.
The world says those mistakes don’t matter. That there’s no harm in making little concessions here and there.
But God disagrees. He’s continually shown me that our moral decisions in those little moments do matter. To us and to those around us.
What about the store clerk who can’t zero out her cash drawer at closing time and realizes she made a mistake when giving change? Or the other employee who has to spend unnecessary time putting all the misplaced items back in the correct spot?
But if we respond with integrity in those situations, the outcome is completely different. Instead of frustration about how their day turned out, they’re left asking themselves what makes people like us so different? And wondering how they can tap into the same kind of thing.
Position yourself to be used by God…
Remember those kids we talked about earlier? Watching our every move? What if they see us waffling on honesty or prioritizing integrity only when it’s easy? How does that affect their view of what it looks like to live out the Christian life?
And most importantly, how does God feel when we choose the world’s view of integrity over His?
Friend, don’t be fooled.
Integrity IS important. Especially in the small things.
Because everyone is watching.
But also because it’s in those moments that God grows our character the most.
Choosing to do the right thing when it’s hard, seems insignificant, or when we think no one cares is growth! Choosing the moral high road in those moments allows God to grow us into people of excellence.
People who can be trusted with His plans. People He is developing into leaders. And people who live with an eternal perspective.
There are many benefits to living with integrity. For ourselves, our family, and the random stranger at the store. But one of the greatest reasons why integrity is important is simple–it shapes us to be more like Jesus.
And wouldn’t you know it…more like Jesus is exactly what this world needs.
How would you answer the question, “Why is integrity important?” Please share in the comments below!
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