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Faithful 100%: The Battle for Integrity
by Captain Jessica Irwin
USA East, Sandusky, Ohio Corps Officer
Horton, an elephant, finds himself faced with a
situation that requires his attention. A bird Maisy, has been
waiting for her egg to be hatched and has grown impatient and
restless. Imploring help from Horton, Maisy the bird convinces
the unsuspecting elephant she will be gone just briefly, could
he please take care of her egg? Horton accepts the daunting
task (sitting upon egg in nest in tree) for the short time she
needs to stretch her legs (which turns into a vacation on a
beach void of responsibility or concern for her nest). Horton
accepts a job and is determined to do it completely, safely,
fully.
No criticism launched at him, nor any level of ridicule or
danger placed before him sways him from completing his
promise; no uncomfortable weather or perilous posture position
prevents him from following through with his word. “I meant
what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant’s faithful,
100%!”
Without exterior encouragement or support, Horton stays true
to his word. 100% faithful, Horton in the end of this story
receives the reward of his persistent devotion to integrity –
when the egg hatches not only does it carry bird qualities but
also elephant characteristics.
Theodor Seuss Geisel has established global acclaim under his
pen name Dr. Seuss and has provided the world with literary
observations of human nature under the guise of children’s
literature. While leafing through the pages of his characters
and rhymes, readers find themselves surrounded by a giant
issue – a statement from the author about the world. Not
hiding in children’s literature, but waiting to be discovered
by young minds and those who carefully protect and nurture the
future leaders of our society. Mr. Geisel frequently exposes
his political positions on human issues through cartoon
characters and rhyming poetry in anapestic tetrameter or
iambic tetrameter, highlighting the theme for something to
fill a void. The author stresses the need for the presence of
moral integrity in the face of industrial and monetary
progress in society within his writing, as we see in the story
from Horton Hatches an Egg. (New York; Random House, 1940.)
The defense of integrity, says Dr. Seuss, is something which
affects the circumstances you are surrounded by. Integrity has
its own rewards – doing what is right because it is right.
Integrity requires courage, strength, self-discipline, moral
fiber and an swerving desire to protect, utilize and defend
what is right.
in•teg•ri•ty (ĭn-tĕg'rĭ-tē) , Merriam – Webster Unabridged
Amplified Dictionary, noun,
1. Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.
2. The state of being unimpaired; soundness.
3. The quality or condition of being whole or undivided;
completeness.
Our world needs men and women who are undeniably, irrevocably,
firmly grounded within the development, maintenance and
defense of integrity. Men and women who speak the truth,
represent the truth, expect the truth in others, defend
situations in which the truth is cast as naïve or
unsophisticated. John Ruskin states that “we were not sent to
this world to do anything into which we cannot put our heart.”
Our society is begging for people who have faced the divisions
of right and wrong, and people who are willing to put their
heart into supporting the side of the right with integrity.
Biblical integrity states that only God is just, only He is
righteous. Our human attempts at righteousness become feeble
and shallow rule-following in light of His perfection and
holiness. Yet we are provided a righteousness from God as
believers, a righteousness which is God’s gift of Himself, His
character – Romans 10: 6; Philippians 3:9. Thus, God’s people
are righteous when they are in a right relation with Him and
enjoy His salvation. When believers are living in line with
God’s instructions within His covenant as spoken through
Christ Jesus (Love the LORD your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your strength and with all
your mind and love your neighbor as yourself.”)
To reach any great height a person needs to have great depth.
The devotion that comes with dedicating our heart, soul, mind
and strength to God means reaching into the depth of ourselves
and deep into the depth of God’s character. His righteousness,
His rightness, will be given as a gift of His character. God
and the Holy Spirit become a conviction over a believer’s life
– steering them towards the right and away from the wrong.
Convicting when faced with choices or temptations. A voice in
the darkness who always protects the right.
Blaise Pascal states, “The power of a man’s virtue should not
be measured by his special efforts but by his ordinary
doings.” Albert Einstein says, “The most important human
endeavor is the striving for a morality in our actions. Our
inner balance, and even our very existence depends upon it.
Only morality in our actions can give beauty and dignity to
our lives.” We are daily battling the grounds of integrity.
All situations we encounter require a level understanding of
the rightness of God and sinfulness of man.
We are in a battle for the defense of integrity. A person is
not given integrity, rather, it results from the relentless
pursuit of honesty at all times. We are regularly challenged
to exercise honesty in our speech, our fiscal matters, our
intentions, our relationships and friendships. Being a true
man or woman of God required a deep settled thread of
integrity which is woven throughout the entire fabric of our
personality and outlook on life. “To give real service you
must add something which cannot be bought or measured with
money, and that is sincerity and integrity.” (Douglas Adams,
1985.)
Maintaining integrity requires courage, for some situations
will not be for the faint of heart. Courage has a fragrance,
it is detectable and it states it is present. Not every person
has the fragrance of courage around them, but in the battle
for integrity it is essential. The world needs people of
courage and prayer who desire to represent God in their
actions and reactions. It cannot be done alone, but is made
possible through the action of the Holy Spirit on the part of
the believer. Integrity is not a boastful claim that insists,
“I am right and you are errant and foolish.” No, integrity
brings a calmness and clearness to the murkiest of
circumstances, a painful reminder of how easy it can be for
anyone to do wrong.
James 4:8 in the NIV reads, “Come near to God and He will come
near to you.” Stay close to God and begin to carry His
characteristics as your own. Allow your time with Him to shape
you into a person who shares his qualities. Wear His
righteousness, not a flimsy list of followed rules. It
requires instilling specific boundaries within our lives to
keep us from wrong and overwhelming temptation. And maybe,,
just maybe, even saying, quietly under our breath, so no one
hears but you, “I meant what I said and I said what I meant. I
intend to be faithful, 100%.”
Dear Lord, clean hands, clean head, clean mouth clean feet
– make every moment of my life sacred and in Your Presences.
Amen.
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