Honesty and Integrity

Contributor: Adam Parks 

Alumnus 

Perhaps my favorite way to spend my free time is playing golf.  It is by far the most difficult game I have ever played and many times I have sworn it off only to try again as soon as I find another opportunity. I enjoy the challenge the game offers, I appreciate the opportunity it affords me to build relationships with some great people and more than anything I love the opportunity to be outside and marvel at the beauty of God’s creation!

The challenge comes with every round, desperately trying to beat my lowest score and improve from the last time.  A good golfer shoots for par, a great golfer often is able to score under par, I try not to run out of fingers counting the number of shots on each hole!  No matter your level of ability, whether playing for fun or motivated by competition, golfers always want to compare scores at the end of the day... Then comes the moment of truth, do I count the extra stroke that it took to get out of the sand when nobody was looking?  Did anybody see me pick the ball up out of the edge of the water? The fact that the question even enters my mind is evidence to the fact that we live in a world engulfed in deception, where integrity is often spoken about but rarely expected.  Where it almost goes without saying that you can skirt the truth, shave off a few strokes to gain an advantage.  Where integrity and honesty is the exception and not the norm...

Every time I go to add up my score I cannot help but think about the story I recently read about Blayne Barber, an aspiring golfer hoping to make the professional tour.  He was featured in all kinds of news reports because six days after he finished the tournament which could have earned him a spot on the PGA Tour, Barber was unsure whether he had assessed enough of a penalty on himself for possibly moving a leaf around his ball in a bunker that he called the officials and disqualified himself! He said "I continued to pray about it and think about it, and I just did not have any peace about it, I knew I needed to do the right thing. I knew it was going to be disqualification.”

I will never have to worry about making it to the PGA Tour but I do hope that I can live such a life of integrity that others will notice and be pointed to Christ!

As Jesus describes the dedicated and faithful life of the believer he encourages us not to skirt the edges of integrity like the rest of the world but instead says “Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”  (Matthew 5:37)

As we have the opportunity to change our score so that we might look a little better I hope that we can remember that the way we live our lives is meant to make God look good.  Jesus says that with our integrity comes the opportunity to shine the light of Christ to those who are fumbling around in the darkness. The challenge is not to simply live a life of integrity but through your life point others to Him!

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)