Integrity Is The Mark

The New Testament tells us that Christians will be known by their love, their love for God and each other and the rest of the world. We don't always do a good job, but optimist as I am, I like to think we try. But before the incarnate Christ came on the scene, what was the mark that characterized God's people?

God's people were to reflect God's character. For as long as people have populated the earth, this has been the command, one way or another: to know God and make Him known. God's character is kind, loving, patient, strong, righteous, just, compassionate.

"Good and upright is the LORD; Therefore He instructs sinners in the way." Psalm 27:8.

Is God ever not good and upright? Like when He wants to let His hair down and just relax. Like when He's all alone with just His own thoughts. No, those are our excuses for choosing something in the moment that is not righteous.

Integrity is doing, when no one is watching, what you would do when everyone is watching.

God is filled with integrity because He cannot be other than He is. That is proven by Psalm 27:8. The second half of the line says He will teach sinners, not smite them with fire and brimstone. That's compassion. That's how we think God operates today, as if we only have a claim to God's compassion because of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. That is why we can claim God's compassion for our own sin, but God has always been compassionate.

So the mark of God's people should be compassion? Yes, and kindness and love and patience. That's what will reach the rest of the world.

But what about me? Vs. 21 says, "Let integrity and uprightness preserve me." Uprightness, the act of doing right and being righteous. Integrity, being upright even when no one can see. Love will reach a fallen world; integrity will preserve me.

Loving people who don't love back is hard. Forgiving people who have hurt you is hard. Praying for people you disagree with is hard. Doing all of that with integrity is hard.

But it will preserve us.