Integrity is Number One Everything Else is Number Two

Today’s word is integrity.
Integrity is number one in all things, everything else is number two. In Webster’s dictionary, integrity is defined as the quality of being honest and fair; the state of being complete; whole; undivided.

Now let’s take a look at some Hebrew words related to integrity. “Shalom” is used as a Jewish greeting or a farewell statement. It means peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility.

A person of integrity is wholeness; united within themselves; there is no internal conflict.

The words “Tam” and “Tamim” describes a person who is plain, simple, uncomplicated and blameless; this person is whole and intact. This Hebrew word “Tam” appears in the Hebrew Bible nine times one time in Psalms and Proverbs. It is in the Book of Job six times. Job is described as a good, upright, and blameless man. There are many people with integrity described in the Bible.

A person with integrity has it all together in one unified piece.  They are consistent and congruent. They are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. They use the same value system to all questions, concerns and choices in life.

On one end of the spectrum is integrity with the other end being hypocrisy. Since Integrity means whole, complete and congruent – then hypocrisy means divided; pretending to be in heart and soul something you are not and acting as if you have a part in a play.

Integrity requires us to discover who we are, claim it and live who we are without pretending to be someone we aren’t. So, if Integrity means being whole, unbroken, and undivided, all parts of the personality can come together and there is no split in the inner being. A divided soul is when part of you wants to do one thing while the other parts of you want to do something else.

Integrity is also when all your aspirations, all your wants are focused in one direction.  A life of integrity is not always the easiest path, but a life of integrity can be simple. Do the right thing; figure it out and do it. Davy Crockett said, “make sure you are right and then go ahead and do it”.

You must be the right person, do the right things and then and ONLY then can you have all this world has to offer……Be, Do, Have, Give, Legacy.

Integrity is number one; all other considerations are second.