Today I received a call from a past client. He asked me if I remembered the name of a handyman I had referred him to about 7 years ago. I explained that the handyman he was referring to had retired. I asked if I could give him a new referral. His response surprised me. He said, “No, I just hired a man to do some work around my house. When I did, it reminded me that I had never received a final bill for the work that was done by your handyman. I wanted to get his contact information so that I could send him his money.” Now that is a man of integrity!

Integrity is defined as “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.” Today, there is a wide range of opinions in regard to morality and what is considered right or wrong and good or bad behavior. What one person uses as a moral compass may be distinctly different from what another person uses. As Christians, we have a manual that gives us the answers for how we should behave in order to have the correct integrity before God: the Bible.

When we model integrity in the little things, we will live it out in the big things. Do you always report honestly when you pay your taxes? If your child looked young for his or her age, would you try to get that child into an event for the under-12 price even though he/she was older? What message are you sending to your child and to your spouse?

One of the most important relationships to live out with integrity is our marriage. We should certainly model integrity by being faithful and trustworthy with our spouse. Integrity is also revealed in how respectfully we talk to others about our spouse, how sincerely we follow through with doing what we say we will do, how truthful we are with our spouse, and how moral we are in being fully devoted to our spouse in thought and deed.

When we walk in integrity in big and little things, people notice. In a dark world that has a wide spectrum for what is considered right or wrong and good or bad behavior, we have an opportunity to be a shining light. Modeling integrity in our marriage is the best way to teach integrity to others, especially those we influence, such as our children.

Titus 2:7-8 “In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned.”

If you are looking to improve your marriage, go to www.marriagebygod.com.