More on Integrity

I have had a few insightful comments on yesterday"s post and have decided to stay with the theme of integrity for today.  One of the responders observed that it takes that same kind of integrity to be a committed environmentalist or vegan.  The philosophy for living is indeed transferable into other venues.  I would go a step further and say that it is essential for the Christian to carry these principles into every aspect of our lives. God has called us to do just that.  Care for His creation and justice for God's creatures are actually consequences of committed Christian faith lived out with integrity.

The thing that keeps many believers from living this way is fear. We want to get along, be accepted and thought well of in a society for whom most of these principles are not a priority.  Fear of rejection causes us to compromise our integrity.   We want to be "safe" and not have to either defend our position to hostile skeptics or have to challenge inappropriate behaviour, thus making us targets for their anger and derision. 

Fear of rejection can only be dispelled when we understand how much we are loved and through acceptance of the place and source of our safety. My wife Mary pointed out this morning that Isaac Watts' paraphrase of Psalm 90, O God Our Help in Ages Past, can be of assistance in this area, especially the first two verses.  
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy Saints may dwell secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.

The place of ultimate safety cannot be found in any constructs of humanity, but only in God who created, redeems and sustains us. It is only when we can with assurance say, "Sufficient is Thine arm alone", will we find the courage and confidence to make those decisions of integrity regardless of how difficult they may be or the risk they put us in.