INTEGRITY{Project 5}

Meaning Of Integrity

Integrity means being without blemish. It connotes completion, perfection, sincerity, and uprightness.

It is the practice of being honest, consistent, and uncompromising in adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values.

Although integrity comes with its challenges, it is still highly rewarding.

No man can claim to be a man or woman of integrity until he or she has been tried for true-life issues. This is largely because no man is born with a heart of integrity, and to have it, you must fight for it.

What Does Fighting For Integrity Mean?

Fighting for integrity means knowing, understanding, and loving God’s truth. This truth develops wisdom in our lives and helps discern and put into practice the standards and boundaries that form a heart of integrity.

Also, fighting for integrity means surrounding ourselves with people we can be accountable to because sin thrives in silence and seems smaller with a lack of accountability. We are much more likely to compromise when no one cares or will find out.

Note, however, that accountability is hard, but it’s a key ingredient for taking responsibility for our actions and words.

Fighting for integrity will grow your capacity to face and change the obstacles that continually force us to compromise God’s truth.

It makes it a lot easier not to overpromise things.

Integrity From a Broader Perspective

Integrity isn’t just proclaiming, to be honest, but defined by our daily choices.

When it comes to integrity, our words have to match with our actions.

We can’t just profess our integrity; it is a choice we must make.

This choice in question is such that it will demand the denial of our selfish desires and miss the opportunity to get what we want when we want it and how we want it.

Denying our desires isn’t easy, comfortable, or fun.

It is that part that makes choosing integrity so hard — ask Job

in Job 2:9–10 KJV.

[9] Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die.

[10] But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this, Job did not sin with his lips.

The man Job, though seen as blameless, had to face trial before he could be tagged as “a man of integrity.”

How can you define a person whose whole world came crashing before his very eye and he remained resolute on not denying his God?

That’s the definition of integrity at its peak.

The truth is that our level of integrity is revealed through the lens of trials and temptations, not simply claiming to be.

Real-Life Tests Of Integrity

For some people, their integrity issues lie in finance; for some, it is with the opposite sex, and for some, it is with acting out their words. The list is endless.

Let’s look at some real-life integrity issues and the consequent reactions or responses of the individuals involved.

Case Study One: Sarah, a staff member in one of the new generation banks, approached me following one of our monthly Sisters programs in the church, during which we dwelt extensively on “integrity.” She described how she has been dealing with the problem of sexual harassment at work from her boss. Even if it started lately, she hasn’t had the guts to come forward because she knows that her actions could have negative emotional and psychological effects, such as being “tagged” or risking retaliation, setbacks, or demotion, especially if her coworkers aren’t supporting her. I could see from our conversation that if she felt too much pressure, she would give in to her boss’s demands. I sat her down and counseled her. Joseph’s religiosity did not exonerate him from imprisonment and false accusations. I reminded her that challenges and injustices are part of life, but how we respond to them truly matters. I encouraged her to stay strong in her faith and trust that God will see her through any difficulties. I advised Sarah to prioritize her well-being and safety by speaking up about the inappropriate behavior she is experiencing. It is important to remember that staying silent can have serious consequences, and taking action is the best way to protect herself and prevent further harm. I emphasized that this step will reflect her character and that remaining resolute in trusting God’s plan in the face of adversity is key.

Case Study Two: As I considered a real-life instance that could further illustrate how integrity tests can take many shapes and how individuals respond to them, the tale of Yomade, an Olabisi Onabanjo University alumnus with a second-class upper degree, came to mind. She began her work at the lowest level with her degree as a contract employee at one of the respectable telecom companies in Nigeria; this situation particularly drew my interest.

She remained in that position for about three years without confirmation. The painful part was that any new employee starting from the same level as hers gets confirmed within a few months and is transferred to a better unit with good pay. That described her plight for years. As a faithful and dedicated employee, she is committed to giving her best and developing herself to remain relevant and qualified for better openings when the opportunity calls. She resorted to praying, and God answered her.

While waiting for a change in her job status, she got married. Two months after her wedding, her organization called her for an interview, which she attended. During the interview, one of the interviewers asked if she was married, and she lied because being single was one of the criteria to get the job.

Yomade got confirmed, and her joy was full because, at the said time, she was 3 months into her pregnancy. Everything was happening fast in a way she couldn’t explain. Work resumed with training, signing of forms, and filling out some documents that had to do with her marital status, and because she wasn’t expected to be married, she had to falsify that information to cover up a lie during her interview. Two weeks into the training, some of the trainers discovered she was pregnant, called her out, and told her the implication of what she had done was that it was going to pose lots of stress on her and also be denied some benefits. A pregnant woman is entitled to such timing for antenatal care and maternity leave, and she succumbs, though they agreed to cover up for her. Afterward, she could no longer cope with the job after delivery and had to resign out of frustration.

Integrity Issues Detected from Yomade’s Story

Her desperate need for a change in job status caused her to lie about her marital status and falsify her information to meet the job criteria.

This further explains that until a man or a woman has been tried with real-life problems, they cannot claim to have integrity.

Final Thought: Remember that integrity is a long-term investment in your character and reputation. while compromise may provide temporary benefits but can lead to regret and consequences in the future. By staying rooted in God’s truth, you will have a solid foundation to make decisions that align with your values and beliefs.