Live With Integrity

“Declare me innocent, O Lord, for I have acted with integrity; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart. For I am always aware of your unfailing love, and I have lived according to your truth. I do not spend time with liars or go along with hypocrites. I hate the gatherings of those who do evil, and I refuse to join in with the wicked. I wash my hands to declare my innocence. I come to your altar, O Lord, singing a song of thanksgiving and telling of all your wonders. I love your sanctuary, Lord, the place where your glorious presence dwells. Don’t let me suffer the fate of sinners. Don’t condemn me along with murderers. Their hands are dirty with evil schemes, and they constantly take bribes. But I am not like that; I live with integrity. So redeem me and show me mercy. Now I stand on solid ground, and I will publicly praise the Lord.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭26:1-12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

May we, like David, be able to declare our integrity while we live among the wicked. Let us ask God to place us on the stand and cross examine us. May our hearts be tried in their motives and may we truly walk before God with integrity. May we always live beneath the recognition of God’s all seeing eye. May our hearts desire truth in the purest form.  In addition, we must consider who we hang out with. Our relationships either corrupt us or correct us. I Corinthians 15:33 says ..... “bad company corrupts good character.” NLT‬‬ Psalm 1:1-3 says “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.” NLT‬‬ We, as followers of Jesus, should not participate in the wild parties of the world. Our celebrations should be holy and wholesome. We should enjoy the gatherings of God’s people and be completely satisfied in the pleasure that comes from a clear conscience and a consecrated life. Our desire should be to please God in all that we do, private and public.