Living a Life that Matters

Throughout my life, I have always considered myself a ‘good Christian.’ I go to church, I am a responsible member of society and I love God. But recently I have been thinking about another aspect of the Christian life that I may need some help with. The loving others part.

I mean, I say I love others. And, like I wrote before, I am responsible. I don’t steal, I try not to lie, and I don’t break laws. But…but there are other things that I do. Things like taking part in gossip about a co-worker or complaining about others. These things suggest that I do not always love others the way I claim to.

This past year, God has been reminding me about the value of integrity. When I first heard the word, I thought that integrity simply meant honesty. But, now I’m realizing that integrity comprises much more than that. Integrity is a way that we show that we love others.

I do not steal items, but I do find myself guilty of ‘stealing time’ at my job. Integrity, I’m learning, requires that I no longer do this. I no longer slide into work five or ten minutes late. Instead, it means that I come in on time (or early!) ready to face the day, regardless of how silly or useless I think my job is. Integrity means that instead of looking for ways to get by with as little as possible, I go about my work with a sense of purpose, discipline, and passion. Integrity means that I follow the words of Colossians 3:22 and I work at everything I do, with all of my heart, as if working for the Lord and not for men.

Integrity means other things as well. It means that I watch the words that come out of my mouth. So many times, I use my mouth to speak words of complaint, accusation, or harm. And, I use my mouth to agree with others when they do the same. But God is gently reminding me that a person of integrity does not live life that way. Instead, God’s people are supposed to use their words to lift up other people. They are not to talk about people behind their backs or to complain about them. Instead, God’s law requires that the words we use are words of love and honesty.

Not only does integrity require that we are honest with others, but it also means that we are honest with ourselves….and with God. As a person who is trying to live a more genuine life, I am learning the importance of examining myself fairly and acknowledging both the good aspects of myself-and the things I need to work on. I am learning that it is important to reflect, and to look at myself clearly, so that I will present a genuine face to others.

And that genuine face means being honest about my own problems and struggles that I face as a Christian. James 5:16 (KJV), admonishes us to “Confess your faults to one another, and pray for one another, so that ye may be healed.” I am learning that living as a whole, genuine woman of God, means that I honestly share my secrets and struggles with mature Christians who will help to keep me accountable. Being a person of integrity means understanding that I cannot live-or grow-in a vacuum. I need others beside me to assist on the journey.

In addition, I am learning that I need to give God an honest view of myself. Instead of simply spouting off trite, pleasant-sounding prayers to God, I need to honestly share with Him the struggles that I am facing, the worries I have, and even my doubts. He knows everything that I think or feel anyway, and yet, there is something in my heart that is compelled to hide from him. Living a life of integrity means that I come out of hiding, and I share my entire self with the God who created my inmost being. It means that I lay everything out before Him, and trust then that He will listen and hear, and heal.

Integrity is hard. In this country, we find it easy to live lives that undermine this virtue. We can hide easily, behind white picket fences, or insincere words and actions, but living intensely, purposeful lives that allow others to see our strengths and our faults is hard. But if we do not live this type of life, then we are not really allowing ourselves to truly love others. And, we are not allowing ourselves to truly be loved.

So my challenge for you, and me, is to start living that type of life. A life of openness and honesty, a life and passion and dedication, a life of love. This is the type of life that God can use. The type of life that makes a difference.


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