Integrity is something that I strive for every day, although I do not always hit the mark, it is always my intention.  Having strong moral principles, being honest, and working with people undivided as one, are all things that take work or effort to display on an ongoing basis. 

When I am struggling with my integrity or feeling out of sorts about how I am acting or how I am responding, I rely on my faith to guide me in the right direction.  I pray for direction on how to respond or react to the situation at hand.  If I am feeling disappointed in myself due to how I reacted to a situation I pray for an opportunity to correct my mistake.

When I have misjudged my reaction to a situation and have prayed for an opportunity to ask for forgiveness I find that somehow I am always provided an opportunity to correct my momentary loss of integrity.  That opportunity is always in God’s time.  Sometimes it is immediately, sometimes I find the opportunity arises weeks, months, or years later.   

Integrity presents itself in all walks of life.  People look for and are searching for ways to live their lives with and around people who display integrity. 

Recently I took an out-of-town visitor to the Football Hall of Fame.  I was very impressed by everything I experienced while I was there.  The employees and volunteers were knowledgeable, kind, and worked at going above and beyond their “job”.  As we walked through the exhibits and watched several movies, integrity was a common thread throughout the Hall of Fame. 

The players that spoke on the videos and interactive displays did not speak about their athleticism, they spoke about integrity.  Words that were often used to describe their success were ethics, character, and playing with and for the team.  These players did not find themselves in the Hall of Fame exclusively because they were skilled athletes. 

The difference was that the Hall of Fame players knew how to take their skill and the skill of their teammates and move to the next level.  They were not stand-alone superstars.  They were part of a larger unit and they knew that without a united team, they would not be able to perform their best. 

In order for the Hall of Fame athletes to be successful, they needed their teammates to work with them.  In general, people want to follow individuals who have strong moral principles, who are honest, and who work with others, undivided, as a one.

Integrity is not something I take for granted.  It is something that I value and recognize as a key personal characteristic that I continually am developing.  I like to surround myself with people who find value in integrity.  I rely on my faith to guide me through times when my ethics are tested.  I pray daily that I will be guided to make good decisions.

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