I am working on the next message in our character series on integrity. Without even turning to a dictionary, I think about an opposite, about being dis-integrated. I find with all the many pieces of my life demanding attention that I am anything but integrated as a whole person most of the time. I think that as I reflect on what message I will be bringing this week I keep returning to the biblical image of shalom. We so often translate the word as “peace” but there is more to the word; it is more about wholeness, about being a whole person. Integrity to me is about being a whole person.
Jesus is the shalom-man to me, the one who came to bring wholeness to all of creation and to each one of us. I am still early in my musings about the texts and the character call to integrity. Interested in hearing thoughts and comments on integrity as part of our life of faith…
The word upright came into my head while I read your thoughts out load.
Job 1:1 There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.
I also thought as Shalom being an overwhelming peace. One that covers, holds,
Back to upright
Hosea 14:9 9 Those who are wise understand these things; those who are discerning know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.
But we can be redeemed!!!!
Comment by SM — September 30, 2008 @ 5:33 pm
I like the word upright and I appreciate your take on integrity. One of the dictionary definitions of integrity is “moral uprightness.” The root of the word in Latin is “integer” which means intact or whole. Integrity is a rich word and trying to get at the biblical roots of this character trait makes me think it encompasses both moral uprightness and spiritual wholeness/intactness. Perhaps it is a dance- to be whole is to be upright and to be upright one must be whole- they hold hands in a foxtrot or waltz. Okay maybe that is stretching the metaphor…
Comment by James — September 30, 2008 @ 5:53 pm
Working with upright. If you are not upright what are you? Laying flat. Dead. Only God can redeem us and God has.
PS I have not looked in the dictionary yet.
Comment by SM — October 1, 2008 @ 5:49 am
Standing upright is a careful balancing act. I am amazed that walking at its most basic is actually throwing ourselves out of balance and catching ourselves with another foot in continuous progression. Keeping our moral balance is sometimes tricky.
PS-I consider the dictionary a bastion of last resort to which I obviously turned last night… sometimes it just helps me be certain I am not unbelievably out there somewhere.
Comment by James — October 1, 2008 @ 5:58 am
Good comment. It is preachable!
Comment by SM — October 1, 2008 @ 12:56 pm