Walk Tall

(Proverbs 11:3 KJV) The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

When in doubt, follow the path of “integrity” (8538). This should be obvious, but it isn’t to many people. Words tend to lose their meaning when they are used too often. It is now the election season. All of the weasels of congress and the Senate are talking about integrity. So are those who know what it means. We should be setting example not looking for escape clauses. Our culture likes words like “pragmatic” and “reasonable” but God speaks of integrity. I believe God interprets integrity more legalistically than most of us do.

We miss a lot of the word pictures that come in the OT simply because of our modern technology and health system. To many people of the world, “upright” (3477) is a vivid concept. Picture traveling through farm country and seeing old barns and houses that are beginning to lean and sag. The cause is not just age, it is also neglect. In fact you could almost say that it is mostly neglect. Simple maintenance will keep building standing upright.

Or picture some of the elderly who have bodies that are bent and twisted from hard work or illness. Whatever our physical condition, spiritually we are to be upright. “Upright” (3477) means that we are straight arrows, we are followers of truth.

Honesty and character will “guide” (5148) us because God gives us standards and road signs. We don’t have to guess what is the proper response in much of life. We have many commandments given to us that are outside the Levitical ceremonial law. They are universals. Some are given in this chapter such as honest weights and measures.

One of the benefits of walking in integrity is we are free to spend our energy on heavier issues since the simple standards are set for us. We don’t have to fight temptation as much because we know the proper behavior. We can use a simple “no” instead of a long explanation.

Walk tall. Walk straight. Walk the walk that Jesus would have you walk.