Integrity is Important

Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal. "Don't abandon your servants. Come quickly and save us! Help us, for all the Amorite kings living in the hill country have joined forces against us.” So Joshua and his whole military force, including all the fighting men, came from Gilgal. Joshua 10:6-7 HCSB

I just attended the graduation ceremony for my daughter-in-law at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The commencement speaker was U.S. Army Col. Jeff Davidson (Retired) and Rutherford County Deputy Mayor. He was a 1985 graduate of MTSU. He challenged the graduates by telling them they needed Integrity, Intelligence, and Energy to succeed in life. All three are important, but without integrity the other two are of no value. Col. Davidson gave an example of a very promising military officer who compromised his integrity by trying to coverup a war crime that two men under his command had committed, which caused him to lose his military position.

My father always told me, “You are only as good as your word.” Integrity is important. Without integrity there is no trust and there cannot be any peace or stability. Joshua's response shows his integrity. Even though the Gibeonites had deceived Joshua and the leaders and may not have deserved any help, Joshua immediately responded to their cry for help because he had made a vow and he intended to keep his word.

Challenge: How willing would you be to help someone who had been dishonest or deceived you? God always keeps His Word. We should all take our word as seriously as Joshua did. Read these other examples in the Bible of the importance of keeping a vow: Genesis 27:33-38; Psalm 15:1-4; Ecclesiastes 5:4-5; Matthew 5:33-37; and James 5:12.

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