Integrity and Habits
I have the pleasure of journeying through a new Bible study this Fall, “Daniel” by Beth Moore. As usual, it does not disappoint and good Bible study always leaves me with something to ponder. The sub-title of the study is “Lives of Integrity” and each week we seem to touch on that point in some way.
From Daniel 1:8 we hear about Daniel’s resolve.
Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.
For Daniel, and for us, resolve requires daily attention. In his case it required attention at every meal. In short, his resolve required consistency! Without consistent resolve we are at risk of losing our integrity.
I loved the definition of “integrity” provided in our workbook:
Integrity literally means “entire.” The essence of the term is wholeness and completeness. Integrity is “the quality or state of being complete or undivided.” You can see, therefore, how much integrity depends on consistency.
I loved the concept of being whole and undivided, especially as it related to our discussion about lives lived “inside-out.” Honestly, I don’t want everything I am on the inside to be evident on the outside. There is a lot of ugliness and despair in there. Yet, I am also aware that there are things on the inside that I would like to express on the outside. Deep yearnings, serious prayers or heart felt concerns that never make it past my lips. I want to be undivided! I want the inside and the outside of me "to jive." I want to be real!
From Daniel 1:8 we hear about Daniel’s resolve.
Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.
For Daniel, and for us, resolve requires daily attention. In his case it required attention at every meal. In short, his resolve required consistency! Without consistent resolve we are at risk of losing our integrity.
I loved the definition of “integrity” provided in our workbook:
Integrity literally means “entire.” The essence of the term is wholeness and completeness. Integrity is “the quality or state of being complete or undivided.” You can see, therefore, how much integrity depends on consistency.
I loved the concept of being whole and undivided, especially as it related to our discussion about lives lived “inside-out.” Honestly, I don’t want everything I am on the inside to be evident on the outside. There is a lot of ugliness and despair in there. Yet, I am also aware that there are things on the inside that I would like to express on the outside. Deep yearnings, serious prayers or heart felt concerns that never make it past my lips. I want to be undivided! I want the inside and the outside of me "to jive." I want to be real!
Into this mix of new ideas and personal emotion came this story. We were discussing prayer in our Bible study group and a woman shared her experience. She was out with a family member who happened to be a nun. The nun, as is customary, was wearing her habit. During the course of the day, a number of strangers approached the nun and asked her for prayer. The woman in our group said she had never experienced anything like it…“all because my niece was wearing her habit.”
Now isn’t that interesting, I thought. The nun has a habit to wear that reflects a habit in her life. The words are spelled the same way. Webster’s includes both in the same definition:
1. An often involuntary pattern of behavior acquired by frequent repetition. 2. Usual practice of manner. 3. An addiction. 4. Distinctive dress or costume
And I thought, now that is integrity! A modern-day illustration of resolve. An unmistakable physical reminder…for all the world to see…of a person’s physical and spiritual habits…which are, ideally, undivided. Oh, that our habits (our consistent resolve) would be displayed in our lives in such unmistakable ways.
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