Psalm 26:11
"But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me."
One of the most needed traits today is integrity. When you look at political leaders who say one thing on the campaign trail but do another thing once they are elected, you can see the need for integrity. When you see Christians who act and say one thing at church but are completely different when you see them out in the world, you can see the need for integrity. When you see our spiritual leaders say one thing from the pulpit but see their private life revealed in a negative manner, you can see the need for integrity.
Integrity is being honest and having strong moral principles in spite of what is going on around you. David said in the verse above, "I will walk in mine integrity..." When others around David did wrong, he did right. When others around him tried to get him to change, he did right and did not change. So, what does it mean to walk in integrity?
First, walking in integrity means doing right when you are all alone. David said in verse 2, "Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart." David understood that his private life was right. He knew what he thought when he was alone. He knew what he did when he was alone. That is why he told the LORD to examine him and prove him.
Would you want the LORD to examine what you do when your alone? That is the measure of your integrity. Nobody may know your thought life, but you know it and so does God. It doesn't matter what facade you put on in front of others, it is what you do in private and what your thought life is like that is the true measure of your integrity.
Second, walking in integrity means doing right when you are attacked. Job 27:5 says, "God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me." Job was under the attack of his friends, yet he would not change who he was. The measure of a person's integrity is how you respond to attack. When others do you wrong, integrity will continue to do right towards them. Integrity does not retaliate, rather it continues to treat the attackers as though they have not attacked. This is not easy, but this is the true measure of integrity.
Third, walking in integrity means to stand alone when others around you do not stand. Daniel 3:18 says, "But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." This is the story of the three Hebrew children who were given another chance to bow down, but they would not bow even though everyone around them did and though they faced the fire of the furnace. The measure of one's integrity is truly defined when they must stand alone, and that stand will cost them everything. Too many people today have their finger to the wind trying to discern what the crowd is doing when they need to stand with the Scriptures. It doesn't matter what others do, the only thing that matters is doing right.
The benefit of walking in integrity is found in Psalm 41:12 that says, "And as for me, thou upholds me in mine integrity, and wettest me before thy face for ever." The benefit of walking in integrity is that it will carry you through all of these situations. It is what the LORD uses to help you through tough times.
Friend, let me encourage you to do right at all times. Don't let circumstances dictate your integrity, but do right when your attacked and alone. You may be the only one who stands, but you must realize that as you stand there is a God Who will stand with you. Your integrity is what brings you through your hard times. Be like Job who said, "I will not remove mine integrity from me."