Pastors

Where Integrity Begins

People fit to worship God practice integrity in their speech, in their relationships with neighbors, in their business dealings, and in their financial transactions.

Leadership Journal July 30, 2007

Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your

holy hill?

He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who

speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things will never be shaken.

CHARACTER CHECK

What is troubling me in the middle of the night? What might God be saying?

In Business Terms After speaking to a group of corporate officers, several of us gathered around for a bull session. One of the ceos, with his tongue loosened by spirits from the bottle, said, “Fred, you talk a lot about self-respect. How do you define it?”

I said, “Bill, I can’t give you a dictionary definition, but I can tell you how I know I’ve got it. When I wake up at three o’clock in the morning, I talk to the little guy inside me who is still simple, honest, and knows right from wrong. He hasn’t rationalized enough to become sophisticated. He still sees things black and white. He is the ‘honest me.’ When we can talk freely, I know we respect who I am. When he turns away and won’t talk freely, I know I’m in trouble. If he says, ‘Get lost; you’re a phony,’ I know that I’ve lost my self-respect.”

Instantly the ceo jumped out of his chair, circled it, and said, “Man, you’ve done plowed up a snake!”

Evidently his night dialogues were troubling him. A few months later I understood his response better when I read he was under investigation.

—Fred Smith, Sr.

Something to Think About He is rich or poor according to what he is, not according to what he has. – Henry Ward Beecher

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