Integrity of the Upright

The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. Proverbs 11:3 (KJV)

The integrity (tummah), quality of being honest and morally upright and the state of being whole or unified, of the upright (yashar), straight, upright, straightforward, just, fitting, proper and righteous, shall guide them. . .

Integrity, for the Christian, is living in a state of agreement with God concerning His will for that which is spirit, soul and body. In other words, for a Christian to be a person of “integrity” they would need to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only” (Jam. 1:22 KJV), applying the Word of God to every area of life. All of the Christian’s dealings with others would be honest and straight forward. These principles of character are fitting, proper and righteous.

To be otherwise would leave such a one in a state of deceiving themselves and not knowing what manner of person he actually is (Jam. 1:22, 24 KJV). Sadly, many of the beloved of God are wilfully self-deceived in the quest for immediate personal gratification and, so, drift into thinking and the resultant behaviors that secular society has imprinted upon their lives.

Our verse goes on to say, the perverseness (Plo celeph = crookedness and crooked dealing) of transgressors (bagad = the unfaithful man who acts or deals treacherously, faithlessly and deceitfully), shall destroy (shadad), utterly ruin, them.

Wouldn’t it be prudent to read, study, meditate on, and commit to memory, the Word of God and yield to its wisdom, insight and instruction? Being the Word is profitable (2 Tim. 3:16), would it not make sense to embrace its dictates and reap the benefit of Gods will for our lives?

Is anything more important than finding and fulfilling the plan and purpose of God for every area of one’s life? I think not.

May this year find each of us prospering and in good health, even as . . . (3 John 1:2).