WEBVTT - Personal Integrity

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<v Speaker 1>Thank you and good morning. Welcome to Morning Devotions. This

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<v Speaker 1>is Chris Switz. I was attending a birthday party one night.

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<v Speaker 1>It was a very enjoyable occasion. The event flowed well,

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<v Speaker 1>and then it came time for the speeches, as usually happens,

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<v Speaker 1>and the wife was paying tribute to her husband.

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<v Speaker 1>She said something that really impressed me. I love him

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<v Speaker 1>for his integrity, she said. It stopped me in my tracks.

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<v Speaker 1>I was so impressed because it was a very moving moment.

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<v Speaker 1>I felt proud of this young couple. It made me

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<v Speaker 1>pause and think for a while about that word integrity.

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<v Speaker 1>What is it? What was the lady trying to say

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<v Speaker 1>about her husband? I realised it's a moral virtue with

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<v Speaker 1>themes of honesty, fairness, and decency, tremendous attributes for anyone

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<v Speaker 1>to possess.

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<v Speaker 1>If you've been told that you have integrity, count yourself

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<v Speaker 1>as very fortunate. Not everyone possesses this. I really like

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<v Speaker 1>the simple explanation by CS Lewis. He said integrity is

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<v Speaker 1>doing the right thing even when no one is watching.

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<v Speaker 1>We like it when our political leaders, for example, show integrity,

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<v Speaker 1>and the same in business. Sadly, that's not always the case.

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<v Speaker 1>Having a high degree of integrity at work means that

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<v Speaker 1>you're trustworthy, reliable. You practise and encourage open and honest communication.

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<v Speaker 1>And you are responsible for your actions. Ultimately, integrity is

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<v Speaker 1>based on values rather than personal gain. Others will trust

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<v Speaker 1>you and believe what you say. No lies, half truths,

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<v Speaker 1>and dependability is a key to your daily life. In

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<v Speaker 1>a work situation, Employees with integrity are willing to go

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<v Speaker 1>above and beyond with their own work and help others

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<v Speaker 1>out of the situation. I can think of those kind

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<v Speaker 1>people with whom I worked years ago who were a

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<v Speaker 1>shining example. Nothing was too much trouble for them.

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<v Speaker 1>And I can think of meetings where participants expressed their

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<v Speaker 1>robust opinions, feelings got a bit heated, but once the

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<v Speaker 1>meeting was over, they calmed down, resumed their normal composure,

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<v Speaker 1>and did not allow any negative feelings to dominate, and

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<v Speaker 1>I call that an act of integrity. Integrity stems from

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<v Speaker 1>the Latin word integer, I N T E G E R,

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<v Speaker 1>which means whole and complete. So integrity requires an inner

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<v Speaker 1>sense of wholeness and consistency of character.

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<v Speaker 1>When you are a person of integrity, people should be

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<v Speaker 1>able to see through your actions and your words, your decisions,

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<v Speaker 1>your methods and your outcomes. There is only one you,

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<v Speaker 1>and that's quite a challenge because we're only human, we're frail,

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<v Speaker 1>we make mistakes and lose our composures at times when

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<v Speaker 1>our wife, husband or partner says the wrong thing, and

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<v Speaker 1>sometimes our emotions get the best of us and we're

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<v Speaker 1>unable to intentionally manage our behaviour and actions.

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<v Speaker 1>And I think most people understand this. It means saying

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<v Speaker 1>to yourself, I want to do right, it doesn't matter

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<v Speaker 1>what anybody else says or does, I'm going to do right.

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<v Speaker 1>And this is real strength of character as well. Contractors

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<v Speaker 1>and engineers refer to the integrity of steel. There are

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<v Speaker 1>times when you can have two pieces of steel that

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<v Speaker 1>look great on the outside.

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<v Speaker 1>There's no apparent difference between them, but one of them,

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<v Speaker 1>when it's put under stress, may not support the weight.

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<v Speaker 1>The reason the other piece of steel does hold up

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<v Speaker 1>under stress is because it has integrity. It has the

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<v Speaker 1>same principle really in Christianity. A person whose life is

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<v Speaker 1>based on the words and life of Jesus has a

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<v Speaker 1>strong sense of integrity that will not bend or fail

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<v Speaker 1>in tough times. Integrity is more than good habits that

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<v Speaker 1>have been formed. I've seen people form.

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<v Speaker 1>habits and then go bad. Why, even though they had

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<v Speaker 1>good habits, they didn't have the integrity to undergird and

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<v Speaker 1>support the good habits. Integrity is a determination of the heart.

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<v Speaker 1>There's a book written by Bill Heibels, the pastor and author, called.

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<v Speaker 1>Who are you when no one's looking, and he says,

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<v Speaker 1>this is where character matters when no one else is watching,

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<v Speaker 1>being consistent when it doesn't really matter. With God's guidance

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<v Speaker 1>and strength, we can maintain character that lasts despite temptation

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<v Speaker 1>and trouble. And there's an important verse in the Bible,

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<v Speaker 1>Proverbs 10:9, says, whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but

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<v Speaker 1>he who makes his way crooked.

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<v Speaker 1>Will be found out. God teaches us the importance of character, truthfulness,

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<v Speaker 1>and integrity. Heavenly Father, help me to understand the importance

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<v Speaker 1>of true integrity. I want to be a person that

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<v Speaker 1>lives and thinks and speaks and acts like that, so

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<v Speaker 1>that there is no doubt that my yes is yes

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<v Speaker 1>and my no is no. Thank you that Jesus was

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<v Speaker 1>the ultimate example of integrity. May my light shine for

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<v Speaker 1>you today. Amen.