Monday, January 31, 2011

Integrity...Is It Really Necessary?

The book of Acts describes the early church and it's challenges. One of those challenges was meeting the needs of a growing church while keeping everyone happy at the same time.

Sound like a challenge?

That church needed a team (staff) to feed all the people who showed up hungry for the church dinner. There were tables and chairs to set up; food to be served; dishes to wash; trash cans to be emptied; floors to be swept, etc.

If you were the leader and knew you needed help...what traits would you look for in a potential member of that team?
  • Sharp dresser?
  • Smooth talker?
  • Clean fingernails?
  • Charming personality?
  • Award winning smile?
  • Hard worker?
Perhaps. Think about it...wouldn't you want someone with those traits to wait on you at your favorite restaurant?

But this is not what the early church based their decision on. In Acts 6 we are given the standard for leadership. In fact, we know this particular position to be the role of a deacon (servant).
  • Acts 6:1-6 1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists,[a] because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word. 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.

God isn't impressed with how you look, how you talk, what you wear, what you can do and where you've been.

Personal integrity is the main issue.

What is integrity? 
  • An adherence to moral and ethical principles; honesty. (Random house dictionary 2011)
Integrity comes from within.  It's not something you have to parade around in front of people.  It is birthed from right choices, right associations, commitment to truth and unwavering faith.  If you have it...it will be good.  If you don't...it will be a disaster.

We live in a day and age...even in the church world...where we base our opinions of people by what we see on the outside rather than what's on the inside of an individual. 

What do people know you by?

I promise you...in the end you'll only want to be known as a person of integrity.  A person who spoke the truth, modeled the truth and embraced the truth.

Integrity will follow you around like a senior yearbook picture.