Searching for integrity? These 9 clues will help.

Today’s Proverb: Better to be poor, walking with integrity, than be a fool whose lips are corrupt. Proverbs 19:1

Still wondering about how important integrity is to our wisdom journey and our Creator? I offer for your consideration today’s proverb. Integrity is better than wealth, popularity, or power. That’s an idealistic perspective. How often do we see it in practice these days? My sense is the reason we don’t see the person of integrity often is by virtue of the nature of integrity. Many times we’ll overlook them.

Think about that, the very people we should want to hang around with and emulate are difficult to find. What if we pursued them, hunted for them like a priceless buried treasure?

Here are 9 clues of how we might recognize them:

1. Trustworthy. People around these folks know that they can count on the person of integrity. They can be trusted to keep a confidence, do what they say they’ll do, and are reliable.
2. Honest. People of integrity don’t spin truth or facts into truth for their own benefit. They strive for authenticity even when it shows their own mistakes.
3. Charitable. People of integrity see need and try to help, even if it’s as simple as picking up someone’s mail while they’re on vacation.
4. Humble. Generally, they are clueless to their own worth. They are in awe of others’ gifts. They value others and give respect to how much of others’ time they take.
5. Grateful. Living a life of integrity acknowledges that there are others greater than them — especially their Creator. They are grateful for His love and forgiveness.
6. Forgives. The person of integrity will forgive and ask for forgiveness because they are not afraid of admitting their mistakes. They know we’re all flawed.
7. Guileless. Because they have no deceit, they’re first assumption is the same in others. They give others the benefit of the doubt until they learn otherwise.
8. Mediator. People of integrity seek unity without moral compromises.
9. Accountable. They hold themselves accountable and expect the same from us.

With all these amazing, wholesome traits one would think the person of integrity would be easy to spot. However, it’s these very traits that make them difficult to identify, UNLESS we take the time to observe them.

If we find a person of integrity around us, we have found a treasure. Learn from them and appreciate the gift God has given you.

May we walk in and with integrity, my friends.

Proverbs 19:1, Tree of Life Bible Society, Tree of Life Version – TLV, #tlvbible, #tlvproverbs