Integrity
Integrity refers to being honest and doing what is right and never doing otherwise. It is not a big word, but a lifestyle to me. It is concerning the fact that everywhere I go I am the same person. No matter where I am, whether it is with my friends, in church, at school or alone, integrity means I would choose to do what is right. It is that my words and my actions are in agreement with one another. In my opinion, integrity is what contributes to a good and strong character in an individual.
To be true to yourself is to know yourself and to stand by it. It is because I do not act like a person who is not who he is in order to impress others. In the modern world, a good number of individuals attempt to transform themselves in order to get people to like them. However, to me, I have realized that it is better being real than pretending. I adhere to values and beliefs when I am true to myself. I also do not give in to peer pressure or the society to do what I know is wrong. The Bible says in Psalm 15:2, “The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart.” This indicates that God desires me to be sincere and honest both internally and not externally.
The ability to keep promises as well forms a very significant aspect of integrity. Whenever I tell someone something, that is to say that I am telling them my word. And my word ought to be. In case I continue to fail my promises, people will no longer trust me. However, when I fulfill my words, even the little ones, people are starting to consider me as a trustworthy person. Trust cannot be established within a day; it takes time and continuity. Proverbs 12: 22 states that the Lord hates the lips that lie but he loves the people who are trustworthy. This makes me remember that God is delighted when I am honest and reliable.
One can also tell the difference between honesty and being nice. Being honest means telling the truth, no matter what. Being nice entails being kind and gentle. The truth can be bitter sometimes but it is still necessary to say it. Nevertheless, I have come to know that I must not use the excuse of honesty to be rude. Rather, I ought to speak the truth out of love. Ephesians 4:15, states, speak the truth in love. This implies that I must speak the truth, but also be mindful of my words to avoid offending others without necessarily.
An experience that I have had indeed taught me the definition of integrity. I recall an occasion when my friend was in trouble due to having done something wrong. They approached me and requested me to lie on their behalf in hopes that they would get away with it. I was at a loss at that point and was also feeling uncomfortable. I did not wish my friend to get into further trouble but I also realized that lying was wrong. It was a question of whether I should do what was right or indulge my friend.
I thought about it and decided not to lie. I also explained to my friend that I was unable to do it as it was against my values. Initially, my friend was furious with me and believed that I had betrayed him or her. This hurt me since I am concerned about my friends yet I was able to stand my ground. Further, my friend returned to me and explained that they had learned the reason why I had said no. This is when I discovered that integrity at times is accompanied with pain, but in the end respect is gained.
Integrity does not come easy all the time. And there are occasions when telling the truth may get me into trouble or cause me to lose something. Sometimes I have to stand alone because I am doing the right thing. But I have come to know that it is better to be alone in truth than to go by the multitude in erroneity. Proverbs 10:9 says, “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.” This verse motivates me to continue doing what is right since, eventually, truth always prevails.
Integrity also assists me in peace in my heart. I experience guilt and insomnia when I lie or do something bad. But when I am sincere and upright I feel calm and confident. I need not fear being uncovered since I am fully aware that I have nothing to hide. It provides me with some sort of inner strength that cannot easily be shaken.
To sum up, integrity is highly significant in my life. It makes me able to trust people, to form a strong character and to live in such a way that would please God. It is not necessarily the simplest way, but it is the most appropriate way. I would like to continue to develop integrity day by day, and make the correct decisions even when it is difficult. Through this, I believe that I will become a better person, and also influence other people to live the same way.
I invite @eveetim , @xkool24 and @mikitaly @sahmie and @bossj23 and @benton3 to drop a very constructive comments on this post and also to participate in this contest.