Upgrading
Personal Integrity
“So God
created human beings; He created them godlike, reflecting God’s nature. He
created them male and female.”
Genesis 1:27 The Message
“The LORD God
formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life
into his nostrils and the man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7
Personal
Integrity is a concept that is often extolled while being poorly defined. It is
common to hear conversation about “living
according to one’s code” or “do the
right thing” or “don’t be offensive”
or “I did what I had to do.” Those
words sound noble, simple and helpful. . . depending on what dictionary one is
using.
Sadly
the ethical dictionary of our day is like a Wikipedia article or active
google.doc; constantly in revision mode.
A
suggestion: we might focus on purpose and direction rather than definitions. Words
change over time, for good or bad. Good words can be corrupted; unwise words
can go viral. Purpose and direction is consistent. Why something is made, how it
is designed and how it is used give insight into perplexing ethical matter. Purpose
and direction provide a solid definitional context for wise living.
* potential - “be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth” and
* responsibility-“subdue the earth, manage the creation”
were
bestowed on the inaugural couple by a wise Creator.
There was little absolute command given: “Don’t eat of one tree.” It is as if God indicated just about anything else goes as long as they pursued the purpose and direction God had given them.
Seems
like God may have been saying something like this:
“Hey Adam! Don’t forget the most important thing: You’ll get a great
gift, a personal integrity, if you continue walking in the light of My love and
direction. If you do that, you’ll grow your potential, achieve lasting success
and leave a legacy that impacts the future. Stay connected to your purpose and
direction.”
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