“You Can Count on People of Integrity” by Rick Warren, in his Daily Hope devotional, posted January 8, 2020, http://www.pastorrick.com
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“People who promise things they never give are like clouds and wind that bring no rain” (Proverbs 25:14 GNT)
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The Bible says people who don’t follow through on their commitments are like clouds that never produce the benefit of rain. If you’re a person of integrity, you keep your word. When you say you’ll do something, you do it.
You may have every intention of keeping your promises when you make them. But if you don’t follow through, it leads to negative consequences—some that you may not even be aware of.
For instance, when you break a promise to your spouse or your children, bitterness may seep into the relationship like a poison. Your friends and family can’t trust you if you continually break your promises to them.
You may say circumstances have changed. And maybe they have. But having integrity means you keep your promises even if they no longer benefit you, even if they hurt you, or even if they cost more than you anticipated.
The Bible says in Proverbs 10:9 that when you keep your promises, you’ll walk securely. In other words, reliability leads to stability. When people can take you at your word, your dependability produces tremendous confidence in their lives and in yours.
It may be tough to keep all of your promises, but when you do, God will honor your commitment. Psalm 15:4 says that God blesses people who “keep their promises . . . even when it hurts” (NCV).
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I Chronicles 29:17a — I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity.
Psalm 25:20-21 — Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you.
Proverbs 10:9 — Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.
Proverbs 11:2-3 — When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
Proverbs 13:5-6 — The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked make themselves a stench and bring shame on themselves. Righteousness guards the person of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.
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Grant to us, Lord, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. —Book of Common Prayer