Integrity

We talked in my Business Ethics class this past week about integrity, and the students knew instinctively what it means. One suggested it meant truthfulness, another being genuine, and I offered from the dictionary unbroken, whole. I told them about getting to hear Parker Palmer, author of Let Your Life Speak and A Hidden Wholeness, speak at a conference in Dallas on the challenge of maintaining our integrity in the workplace. That is not an easy task.

As I was reviewing the Bible texts on the lectionary for tomorrow morning in preparation for being the layleader in worship, I realized that Hebrews 13:7-8 (from Eugene Peterson's The Message)offers a great definition of integrity as well as the best example I can think of. "There should be a consistency that runs through us all. For Jesus doesn't change--yesterday, today, tomorrow, he's always totally himself." Now that's integrity! I only hope to be able to approximate that standard in my life, but I keep trying. Fortunately God possesses infinite patience.

Grace and Peace,
Donna Sue