Integrity. What is it? Most of us have an understanding one way or the other. Basically most of us understand it as honesty. I ran across an article in my Leadership Bible that had this to say about integrity:
Matthew 23:1-39
Jesus called the Pharisees “hyprocrites”, six times in this sermon (vv. 13,15,23,25,27,29).
His language reveals his displeasure. Notice that each verse that includes the word hypocrite begins with the words: “Woe to you.” In this passage Jesus chided the Pharisees for saying one thing and doing another.
Integrity-the direct opposite quality of hypocrisy-is the quality that people want most to see in a Christian and a Christian leader. The Pharisees didn’t live up to the standard that Jesus was teaching. When we talk about integrity today, we generally use other, closely related terms such as ethics and morality. But a clear understanding of the concept of integrity requires clear thinking about all three words. Each has a distinct meaning. When properly used, they bring clarity to a crucial but often misunderstood essential principal for all Christians whether we are in leadership positions or not. It is important to remember that those in leadership positions understand this concept:
Ethics refers to a defined standard of right and wrong; good and evil. “lt’s what the Pharisees said they believed was right.
Morality is a lived standard of right and wrong, good and evil. It’s what the Pharisees actually did.
Integrity means “sound, complete, integrated.” To the extent that a person’s ethic and morality are integrated, that person has integrity. To the extent that a person’s ethics and morality are not integrated, that person lacks integrity.
Lets look at this another way. If John tells you he will lie, cheat and steal from you, he has a low ethic. If he does business that way, he also has a low morality. John is unethical and immoral, but he has integrity-twisted as it may be-because the moral- ity is consistent with the ethic. If John claims to cheat and steal but doesn’t cheat and steal, he is moral in practice but lacks integrity, because his morality doesn’t match the ethic. Think about that a bit.
You can have a high or low ethic. You can be moral or immoral. Your choice. But if you want to have integrity, you must choose your ethic and live to match it. Anyone who wants to lead at least owes it to prospective followers to let them know what they are getting into.
The Bible teaches a high and holy ethic. A person who claims to be a Christian and to live by Biblical standards makes an ethical statement. He or she has committed to a certain morality. For that person to have integrity, then, he or she must live by the Biblical ethic. Jesus makes it unequivocally clear that the worst choice is the hypocritical one.
Read Matthew 23:1-36 and allow Jesus’ words to echo in your brain until you are convinced of his displeasure with those who say but fail to do. This is serious business.
Wesley United Methodist Church, Orange TX 
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