He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out.
Message: Walk equals Talk
Time: Proverbs records multiple individuals as its author with Solomon as the principal author. Solomon died in 931 BC though most think the book was likely in its final form sometime before the end of Hezekiah’s reign in 686 BC. It is a book that instructs people on the path of wisdom. It speaks to all of life and living our lives under the authority and direction of God.
What the Lord is Saying: It is always interesting to see the characteristics of vice and virtue that Solomon contrasts. In this Proverbs he extols integrity, walking in it and that walking produces a security or sureness. It is well grounded. In contrast the one that does not walk with integrity is the one who perverts their ways and that one will be found out or exposed.
Integrity is a characteristic I hear much about. It is a trait that is commonly spoken of in the circles of men as well. But I suppose it is common for both sexes, but for some reason it feels like it stands out for men, but that could be because I am a man. The King James refers to this as "walking uprightly."
A quick definition of integrity - "the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles." Being honest seems to be given as a virtue in life. It seems everyone agrees about the importance of this. In college, people often said, "let your walk equal your talk." What you say you are going to do, you need to do it. And in our speech it is important to always be truthful. As workers, I think this encompasses being dependable and a person that someone can count on.
Beyond honest, it is having strong moral principles. I think this means a clear understanding of right and wrong. Morality is huge in our world as well. And yet it is defined in many different ways among people. How we are determining what is right and wrong in our world is changing, but mostly in the area of sexual relations and marriage. Whatever society deems as acceptable becomes morality it seems for people. Purity I think has been a big issue that has been assaulted, not highly as honored as people of faith honor it. A greater premium is placed now on experience and if that experience validates or makes a person feels good, then the standard is no longer a standard. And yet faithfulness is still extolled. So I think the issue of morality as it relates to integrity can be a challenge as we look at person to person.
Charles Ellicott (1819-1905) in his commentary says that walking uprightly or security means, "He has no cause to fear lest anything to his discredit should come out." I like this. A person who walks with integrity has no fear of anything come to surface. In essence his life will be lived above reproach. The life is lived in a manner where the person really has no concern of being exposed later in life. I think of elections and it seems media or opponents are always trying to dig some dirt up on someone to discredit that person. Well, this is a proverb that says it won't happen because the life has been lived in such a way as there is no fear of that happening.
But the vice or contrast in this verse says the opposite - "he who perverts his ways will be found out." To walk in a perverse way is to walk in a crooked manner or a sinful path. This is a person that society hates in religious people - one that is a hypocrite. People not part of the church look at the hypocrite where a person's actions do not line up with their words. And the world hates this. The reality that the world does not understand is our works do no save us. We all are sinners and yet there is an expectation that the Christian, after conversion, will not live in any type of sin. High standards, yes. But I think we need to be more sensitive to this. When we have error, we need to admit and confess it before others. When we sin and we will, we need to confess it before God but also before man. This hurts the pride but our pride it not of importance. God receiving glory is that which is most important and we don't our actions to effect God receiving glory.
Hence the antithesis of this verse is clear. Live your life with honesty and high moral standards of making right choices over wrong one's so that your life is an open book and there will be no fear of being exposed of any secret sins in the closet. Because this is the fear of the crooked person. The life they live that includes dishonesty and confusion over moral principles and practices other sins has a life that could be exposed. And that person through their actions lives in constant fear.
Prayer: O God, I want to be this man of integrity - of honesty. Last night in a class I was involved in at church on marriage, we spoke about leaving a legacy. I pray and want my life of legacy to include being honest and right now, there is so much deception that my life is actually known for and I have that constant fear of being found out. Help me to clear out the dishonesty. And give me compassion to those that struggle in their lives to live in a manner that is holy and true. Help me to be a person of forgiveness and patience toward others, but I do thank for the high standard you ask us to hold to and I pray for your strength to live in this manner. Help my children as well. Right now, my oldest son is dealing with this and give him the strength to rise up from the exposure he has had of a sin. Help him to live his best life going forward.
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