// The Question of Integrity//

Not a surprise to anyone reading this, but the World tells us to be one way at home and another at work: a Martyr & a Saint at home, and ruthless & compromising at work.

I read once that integrity is being the same to all people in all situations.

As hard as it is to not people please, I believe this is the anti-integrity that God mentions many times in his word.

When I feel the temptation to boast or get ahead at work, I do one or two things: I either go with the temptation and put myself first, maybe try to throw a Co-worker under the bus, and maybe take credit for other’s work. Or do I choose to do what I would do if I were dealing with Jesus himself? Serve others, tell the truth, and not let selfish ambition rear it’s ugly face in my workplace.

Do you look at all people the same? As Jesus suggests? Do you see celebrities, and you are “starstruck?” Do you suck up to a boss, or someone you know can do something for you? Do you show people favoritism and feel awkward when you meet the eye of a homeless man? I know I do.

There is a lot of pressure in my corporate job to be this way, in fact, many argue, it’s how you get ahead. So I guess we can ask ourselves, what does the Word say about this sort of behavior?

Immediately, I recall a few similar situations:

The command to not treat the people with riches and power with the better seat at your parties.

The Good Samaritan and the religious zealots.

The command that we treat all people with the same compassion and love. To the least, the outsiders of society is how you treat Jesus himself.

To not think of ourselves higher than we ought.

Do we not take it seriously when James says: “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”

I guess this is the example of how we treat others, but may I suggest that more often it is how you treat others is often a symptom of how you treat Jesus himself? We know James talks about treating people with love, and to question yourself if you do not love your brothers and sisters.

This passage is the most convicting to me:

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

When we try to be two ways with God, he doesn’t have it. We are double minded and unable to stand for any good thing. This strikes much deeper than just treating people the same way. Instead it calls to the very heart of faith. Are we the same in the church pews and our christian conversations as we are alone and still before our Holy Lord. When we are like this in our day to day interactions with people, often times, if we check in our prayer life, we lack INTEGRITY in FAITH.

I heard a pastor say, we believe we can trust God with our eternity, but we often don’t believe him when he says he will take care of our day to day.

This strikes me hard today, coming off of a major financially difficult couple of months, trusting God seems like being inactive. Waiting on him seems irresponsible. This thinking is a perfect example of the worldly mind that James describes above.

I rather trust God with His promises over the World and it’s empty phantoms. The chasing after the shadow, the wind, the vanity of life. The world rewards the double minded human, but God rewards the devoted faithful child. If we sit still for a second, we find ourselves caught up in this world. Today, let’s be people of complete integrity, the same with God as we are with people. From the homeless to the prostitute, to the CEO. If we are not living for God, we are dying for the World.

// Simply Devoted.//

Devotion.

Been thinking of the word lately.

de·vo·tion  (d-vshn)

n: Ardent, often selfless affection and dedication, as to a person or principle.

What am I truly devoted to? Is there one thing in my life that I selflessly dedicate myself to? The same scripture resounds in my inner ear, “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” James 3:16.

My job? nope.

My relationship? I try.

My hobbies? nah.

Disorder? YES!

The check up seems to have gone terribly wrong. I thought, surely I am devoted to God. So I ask myself, am I selfish in my prayers? Do I ask instead of praise? Where does my affection lie? One week of writing out all my prayers, and I found the answer. I ask for more than I am will to give. I desire a higher place than God in most facets of my life. Disorder abounds in my closet, in my car, in my relationships, but worst of all: within me.

As I look towards the end of the year. Often I play a game with myself: life check up. We’re so quick to go to the Dr. when we feel ill, but when we are spiritually sick, we almost sadistically like it. As humans, we like to feel. I like to feel good about myself and my accomplishments. However, the life check up is a swift way to knock myself back down to where I belong: when I am in the proper place, so is my proper affection for God. I am trying hard not to “think myself higher than I ought.”

Devotion, what a silly thought. The world tells you to live free and easy. Don’t get in to deep, don’t commit too much, it’s too risky. But what reward to I get from being devoted to myself? Disorder.

The goal for today - and hopefully I can make it to a week - is simple devotion. An affection for Jesus. In awe of his beauty. Just as the tree below stays still even though the craziest storms, she is devoted to God. I desire that simple devotion. The light that shines through the tree, the colors of change showing through her leafy hair. Simple devotion, I so desire.