to me, integrity is plainly about doing what you say will do. it really is about love. i admire and value people who follow through on what they say they will do; people who have a steadiness to them, who keep their promises even when it hurts. i desire it so much for myself that i writhe when i compromise even slightly. many times i find that what i dislike about myself in these terms i'm more sensitive to see it in others. i'm more critical and have little tolerance for those who fall short. talk about removing the plank in your own eye before removing the speck in others...grace...grace.
i once heard a wise man say that all you really need to look for in a mate is integrity. i really believe that, especially in a man. you see if they say they love God, then they're committed in every area of their lives to do just that. if they love God, they will surely also love you according to his word. they will follow through and be committed to figure out this marriage thing biblically. the marriage will be sound. they will still probably fail at times as we often make many mistakes along the journey but they will understand humility, brokeness, grace.
i know people look for lots of things in a mate. they're all nice things and as valentine's rolls around, even romance is nice. beauty fades. times get hard. life is unpredictable. so only one thing really matters in my book - integrity, it's a commitment to love.
he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
29"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.[5] 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'[6] 31The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[7] There is no commandment greater than these." - Mark 12
posted by affectionate @ 2/04/2004 09:40:00 AM
<< Home