The word of some people is just not worth a lot of confidence; some people we may deal with in life and business simply lack integrity. In Hebrew, when a person walks with integrity, he or she speaks the truth and practices righteousness. There is harmony of the inner person with the outer person. Integrity is associated with the Hebrew word shalom—wholeness. In ancient Israelite culture, integrity was valued and revealed in a relationship with God and with his or her community. For example, the patriarchs Job and Noah, were described as models of righteousness or integrity.
For the disciple of Christ, walking in integrity is our way of life and conduct. Integrity brings many benefits: security, preservation, and blessing. We avoid so many pitfalls when we run from dishonesty and into integrity. We need to pray all the time to be people who can be trusted based on our integrity; we represent Christ.
In our passage today, the Apostle Paul helps us understand how suffering for the sake of integrity brings us to an end of ourselves, because then we can experience the fullness of God’s character. If we are honest, none of us would delight in running to a place of suffering. Yet, Paul helps us understand the faithfulness of God to run to the aid of his sons and daughters who boldly stand in integrity against evil accusations.
Initially, Paul went to Corinth to bring some constructive criticism to church drama. The church faced some real issues and Paul thought they would be able to bring reconciliation and a solution to their problems before he returned. They did not mend their ways in Christ’s love. So, Paul decided to write a letter rather than revisit Corinth, because he did not want to refuel the initial issues. In changing his plan to personally return, some of his accusers decided he lacked integrity and could not be trusted. Paul explained it was not indecision that held him from returning, it was God’s love and concern for them. Paul did not want to rebuke them further; they were in God’s hands now.
2 Corinthians 1:12-19 NIV Paul’s Change of Plans
12 Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity[a] and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace. 13 For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, 14 as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.
15 Because I was confident of this, I wanted to visit you first so that you might benefit twice. 16 I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea. 17 Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”?
18 But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.”
Prayer: Lord, integrity is a big deal with you and how we treat other people matters. Please help us to be people of integrity. We pray for our “yes” to be “yes” and our “no” to be “no.” May we be people of the Word and of our word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.