The Character of Integrity

The inner workings of integrity largely make up a person’s character; whether they have integrity or not reveals much about a person. Let’s define integrity as having the quality of being honest and possessing strong moral principles. Similar words found within the word are uprightness, or acting rightly, having honor, and good character. There’s the tie-in, putting the two words together.

I could continue with additional synonyms that may help you see the importance of integrity in one’s life. Words that come from the word integrity are ethics, morals, morality, virtue, decency, sincerity, fairness, and truthfulness. We should know the opposite of integrity, but for the reader’s sake, I will list a few. The opposite of integrity is dishonesty, which signifies the state of being divided, not standing but wavering, doubtful in thoughts, ways, and words.

Integrity in a person’s character brings wholeness to the person, causing unity in their being. Paul writes in First Thessalonians 5:23, May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Allowing sanctification - the setting apart for God’s work- and consecration - my choice to live holy- yields the character of integrity. In Dr. Henry Cloud’s book called Integrity, the courage to meet the demands of reality, he discusses six things that having integrity allows a person to do and be:

1) Integrity creates and maintains trust.

2) With integrity, one can see and face reality.

3) Integrity works in a way that brings results in one’s life.

4) Integrity embraces negative realities and solves them.

5) Integrity causes growth and an increase in one’s life.

6) Integrity achieves transcendence and meaning in life.

Look at each point carefully. Is there one missing in your life? If so, be brave and allow God to examine all of who you are to see what is missing or what needs to go missing. But let’s look at #6 together.

What does it mean that integrity achieves transcendence? What exactly is transcendence? In its simplest form, it means the intangible. The transcendence of God means believing in Someone infinitely superior to oneself. In other words, I am not god. This allows a person to see beyond themselves and see into the true meaning of life. There is a God, He is love, and He is ever present.

In our world today, too many people believe that they are god and there is no other. This belief causes all the other points of integrity to break down, causing a breakdown in one’s life.

One way I define integrity is to say what you mean and mean what you say. Did anyone ever tell you to do as I say and not as I do? Maybe a parent or a boss? This phrase, I believe, originated in the military from officers telling soldiers what to do as they did the opposite. That is the lack of integrity in action. If we want people to trust us, if we want people to believe in what we say, if we want to embrace reality and grow, we must be a person of integrity.

C.S. Lewis said that integrity was doing the right thing even when no one else was watching. You can fake it for a while, but not for long. It is a heart issue. A person must embrace the value of integrity and let go of everything else that undermines the very thought against it. No one will do this perfectly, but we have an example to follow in the life of Jesus. He sent us God’s Holy Spirit to do the work within to make us a person of integrity. Our part is to yield to Him and prioritize integrity in our lives.

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Until next time, remember that the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.

Dr. Michele Morgan

September 21, 2025