Your Word is Your Bond

Men and women of integrity are people of their word. As their word is, so is their action.

Integrity means Honor with Respect
Proverbs 19:1 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
God classes Integrity more valuable than the riches of this world. He classes Integrity more valuable than anything that we could ever own. Cheating, stealing, lying, breaking one's promises, withholding tithe money out of greed or spite is the world's way but not what the Lord desires a Christian to be. We are required to live a higher standard of living by holding our integrity dear to ourselves. When people of the world look at you as a Christian do they say you are no different than them or do they say they really respect you? Poverty if far better if a person has integrity and honor than all the riches that every existed throughout time. What is your life worth? Can you take any material thing with you when you die? We all need to get our priorities straight and realize that keeping our word is important to our self-respect as well as our integrity. As well as important to those around us.

One of the easiest things to do on earth is to say you'll do something, while you have no intention of doing so. You say so just to put off a present pressure not thinking what your word will portend for you in the future.

Is your yes a genuine yes? Is your no a genuine no? Do you say yes or no to foster a genuine cause or does the pit of your bowels quake, most of the time you use them, for you mean not what you say?
Pythagoras, the great Mathematician, said ' the oldest, shortest words - yes and no - are those which require the most thought. ' How very true! If they don't for you, then they should.

When you say, "I'll stand by you come rain come high water", do you mean every bit of it? Are you married? Did you promise to forsake all others? Til death do you part, stand by your mate in sickness and in health? Good and Bad? Do you suffer from bouts of vacillation once you set out to execute that which you say? These are too many questions to answer at one sitting. Nevertheless, they are enough to drive a point home. Which is exactly what I am trying to do at this moment.

We must be mature enough to become accountable for our word - we must see that we keep it when we give it. Many people pile load after load of guilt upon themselves by not keeping their word, then wonder why they have ulcers, heart problems and motley of other problems.

Our word, when given, is a source of faith to those who receive it, and determines their conduct. When the word is not kept, unbelief develops.

Sometimes people who refuse to compromise truth or principle are viewed with contempt. People who are of questionable behavior fear to associate themselves with men and women of integrity because they fear their unethical behavior will be exposed.

Surely, light and darkness cannot be accommodated in the same room. One of them has to bow and leave. Incidentally, something worth noting here is that when light enters a dark room, the darkness has to flee; but darkness cannot dare enter a room that is well lighted. It goes to show that people of integrity are a force to reckon with.

Sadly, people of integrity and unquestionable principle are becoming rarer and rarer by the day. Countless numbers of men and women who were once famed for their integrity are opting for mediocre, second-rate lives (lives that are 'easier' to live as there is less accountability). In the long run respect, honor and moral uprightness are thrown out the window. But don't lie to yourself: you can never lie to your conscience nor can you lie before God. It will always remind you the wonderful path you forsook for God and you only knows what reasons!

Your conscience (given by the holy spirit) is the most important thing you possess, secondly only to your souls salvation. Guard it! Screen it! Unclog it! For heaven's sake, keep it alive and use it!

When you give your word to someone you are also giving it unto the Lord. The Lord teaches us in the Bible that we must not go back on our promises even if we have to pay a higher price to keep them. Our promises are taken seriously and we will be held accountable for them. Changing our minds is not acceptable to the Lord! Keeping promises demonstrates our “True Inner Self.” It shows whether or not we have corruptible or incorruptible morals (fruitful seed) inside of us. Integrity, Honor, Self-respect and Honesty means everything to man and to the Lord! What kind of Christian walk does the Lord desire us to have? Is keeping one's word really important or do we have the right to alter and change it? Does the world respect people who break their promises? Or better yet, does God? Fellow Christians? A broken promise means a broken trust and relationship. Trust and respect as well as one's honor is the basis of our relationship with each other as well as our Lord. He expects us to keep our word, (vow, oath) to him and to others as well!

Remember:

o Standing for right when it's unpopular is a true test for moral character. You know... Just say NO!!!!

o Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. God judges you by and your loved ones rely on your character.

o Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourself. Never pity yourself. Be a hard master to yourself; be lenient to everybody else.

o Excellence is the result of habitual integrity. We are supposed to mirror ourselves in his image! What would Jesus do?