Proverbs 10:9

The one who conducts himself in integrity will live securely,
but the one who behaves perversely will be found out.

I was at Starbucks this morning working on my sermon for the coming Sunday and as I was packing up to head home for lunch, a man sat down and asked for directions to a post office. As we were trying to find the post office online, we were talking. He asked what I do for a living. When I told him I as a pastor he started talking about all the problems with our society. This guy was not a Christian and yet he was talking about how what we need in our culture is integrity. He was talking about how we need it in politics, schools and businesses.

It’s clear that integrity is something that is a cornerstone to a functional society. It’s not only in Christian circles that people think integrity is important. It’s interesting though that people outside our faith see the need for integrity, but don’t see the need for a truth that is greater than our own existence. When you are the judge of integrity, you only see through your own, limited understanding. When the judge of integrity is outside of our existence, then truth becomes far less subjective and far more objective.

I liken it to an ant-farm. When you’re on the outside you can see all the paths that the ants are travelling. You can see where they are going and how efficient their path is. They cannot see in the same way that you see. They do not have your greater perspective. If they had it, they might make their paths a little more efficiently.

The same is true for us. When we are our own judges, we cannot see life with enough perspective to make the most rational choice. But, God can see everything. Not just all the paths we might follow, but He can also see all the paths that everyone has and will follow. He also made all of us and all the places we walk.

But, we do have an advantage over the ant. We have something that helps give us greater perspective on life. God’s word. As we learn more about wisdom from God’s word, as well as gain in our understanding of the entire Bible, we get to (in part) tap into God’s perspective on this life. The more we learn and live according to God’s ways, the more our lives will have integrity.

As we continue to grow in the way we conduct our lives, we will find more and more security that surrounds us. The paths we walk and systems we set up around ourselves will become more sturdy and stable.

But the one who behaves deviously, the one who intentionally lives life crookedly will be found out. There will be no hiding what He does. Everyone will know it, we will all be able to see it as from outside the ant farm.

So, align yourself with the path-maker and your path will be straight.