And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:4)
Integrity lives in the stories that surround us. It is not loud, it is very much hidden. People of integrity do not advertise themselves on street corners, they live their lives of integrity often in the shadows. They are faithful in seemingly unimportant and small things. Despite the moral pollution in our society, during big crises we tend to look for a hero. Someone with integrity we can rely on, someone who will put all wrongs right.
Some ask: Is integrity a result of nature or nurture? We do not gain integrity as we gain degrees or knowledge, we grow it with steadfastness often in the midst of difficulties and always with Jesus as our teacher. I believe we nurture a life of integrity and then it becomes our nature to do things according with integrity.
You cannot have integrity in one area of your life but lack it in another. Integrity is something that demands your all. The very word integrity means: complete. And you cannot just hire it out for a short term, you need to strive for it long term.
The word integrity occurs seldom in the Bible, though it is a running theme throughout it. There is not enough room to mention all the examples but it is worth studying them carefully. In this broken, defragmented world we need to be people who are complete, who keep their promises, who do as they preach. If we profess to be Christian we have to remember that people are watching us, what we say and do, how we react in difficult situations, and what comes out of us when we are pressed on each side.
Joanna has a passion for mentoring female leaders to become mentors for a new generation. She is a founding director of One Rock, a board member of Renovare UK, and an associate lecturer at Oasis College. In her spare time she loves taking photographs of nature, and playing with her cat Chester.