I find it interesting that this verse does not compare the poor man with integrity to the rich man without it. That is the typical style of Solomon’s Proverbs. My wife is reading Dr. Henry Cloud’s book on integrity. Dr. Cloud makes the case that integrity is not simply about honesty although that alone leads to a powerful life. He speaks of integrity as “a person who has the — often rare — ability to pull everything together, to make it all happen no matter how challenging the circumstances.” It isn’t really about integrity in the way we think of it. It is about integrating skill, relationship, and character throughout our life. In the end that makes successful people and leads to a life which men and women in leadership and business live with the character trait of integrity. By contrast, here Solomon is using the simple truth of what comes from our mouth reflects our heart and the rest of how we live our life. Those who speak wickedly – it proceeds from a wicked heart and is usually attended by an evil life. We have all watched these two contrasting people pass through our story – the man of integrity, and the fool. The key here is to be the first type. I recently spoke to a good friend who runs a very large organization. I called to check on him during this crisis time. He said with great energy, “This is what I was born for.” He is thriving in the role of president and CEO, meeting the needs of his people and his clients utilizing all the gifts that God has given him for such a time as this. Today, live a life integrating all that God created in your story and #BeTheEdge.
