If you ain’t cheatin’ you ain’t tryin’. This philosophy permeates the world we live in. And when I say world, I don’t mean the planet we live on. But rather, I am referring to the world system that is ruled by Satan. Integrity is no longer considered a virtue, but rather is seen as a weakness. And if we are not careful, we can slip into the ways of the world system.
At Wichita Falls Faith Mission, we are committed to integrity in our relationships, our governance, our business dealings, our fund raising and our financial responsibilities. That translates into doing the right thing even when no one is looking and even when it isn’t convenient or profitable. There are plenty of times when we could take short cuts or compromise our values for a buck. And you probably know from experience that taking the high road can be costly in the short term, but it is always rewarded by God in the long term.
But there is another reason we choose integrity at Faith Mission. We believe we have been called out from the ways of the world system and we should be a light in the darkness. Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.” It would be a great disservice to the Kingdom of God for us to call ourselves a Christian organization and cheat on our taxes. Romans 12:2 challenges us to “Not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.”
I can’t think of better proof of a renewed mind than one that thinks and makes decision in integrity. Conversely, Proverbs 25:26 says, “Like a trampled spring and a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.” Our witness in this world might be only one compromise away from being polluted.
Here’s what I’ve discovered over the years. Striving to be a man of integrity leading an organization of integrity is mostly about the little things.
As humans, we don’t always get it right, but the areas that seem to be the easiest to make concessions in are the everyday, small decisions. We may not steal a $1000 computer from the office, but we might rob our employer of a full day’s work. We probably won’t murder someone, but we might be guilty of gossiping with someone’s confidential information. If it is easy to tell little white lies, how slippery is that slope?
Being who we say we are, is important. Our reputation in this world depends on it but even more important, our relationship with God depends on it.
