Integrity is a value that we should strive for in all areas of your life. It should be an integral part of our lives. Be who are. Say what you mean. Do what you say you will do. Don’t just walk the walk; talk the talk.

1. Purpose to be a Man of Integrity in 2017
A major challenge in our society today is the whole question of integrity. Is it possible to be a
man of integrity? Being one means that you have to be principled in what you aspire to do,
what you are doing and living within these principles. Integrity is part of who really you are.
It encompasses your character.
“Character is what you do when no one else is looking.”
Psalm 78:72
‘So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the
skillfulness of his hands’ (NKJV)
Integrity is completeness or soundness. You have integrity if you complete a job even when
no one is looking. You have integrity if you keep your word even when no one checks up on
you. You have integrity if you keep your promises. If you are a man of integrity, you will do
what you say. What you declare, you will do your best to be. Integrity also includes financial
accountability, personal reliability, and private purity. A person with integrity does not
manipulate others. He or she is not prone to arrogance or self-praise. Integrity even invites
constructive and necessary criticism because it applauds accountability. It includes adding
values to other people. It's honesty at all costs. It requires that when you find you are
deviating, you go back to the ‘Factory settings’ that you started with. This will give you the
momentum for a new start and drive in life.
Being a man of integrity means that you value what is honest, true, noble, trustworthy, kind
and right ahead of personal gain and this becomes a way of life. You will always regret if you
don’t do the above. It is a high measure.
Our country is suffering from lack of men and women of integrity. The families and
marriages are breaking up because of this ill. Trust has been eroded. The children cannot
believe their parents any more. It is our responsibility as men to take our rightful role of
leadership both in the family and society and enhance integrity by setting up role modelling
in the same.
Being a man of integrity will require that:
 Look for the positive. A lot of men don’t load themselves with positive minds. Most
times our news items are on bad things in our society. We are caught up talking ills of
our government, families, friends, church, etc. We need to endorse integrity and make
it a stronger value in our life than criticism and ill talks.
 Root yourself in a moral foundation. One of the challenges facing men is the whole
issue of moral fibre. How do we handle ourselves in a morally corrupt society? We
have to set ourselves a moral foundation on which to be leaning on.
 Be in the habit of sharing everything with your wife. When we don’t keep any
secrets from our spouse, it tends to have an impact on who we are. Wives are the best
accountability partners that we can have. They will share with us our joys, sorrows,
pains, excitements, etc.

2.  Hold your children accountable. Every lesson we bring to our children is
something we need to hear too. Let the children challenge you if you don’t keep your
part of integrity.
 Determine to live for others ahead of yourself. Put more value in others particularly
your wife and children. The root enemy of integrity is selfishness. The Golden Rule
requires treating others the way we would like to be treated. It is impossible to follow
the Golden Rule without boosting personal integrity.
 Identify your accountability group. We all need friends to hold our arms up, to help
keep us strong, and to challenge us when we are not doing right. Our wives can be
very good to us if we are also accountable to them. We all need mentors who can
advise and correct us.
 Resist the temptation to compartmentalize your life. Too many of us are different
people in different places. Determine to be a man of integrity; then practice at home,
at work, at play, wherever you are.
 Partner with a friend where you need to make progress. Take accountability to the
next level by asking another man to hold your feet to the fire where necessary. This
can be a mutual arrangement.
 Practice the habit of imagining the presence of someone whose opinion you
value. Ask yourself questions like, What if my father was present at this business
meeting? I wonder how my children would enjoy being part of this group. Would I
tell this joke in the presence of my wife? How would my children feel if they listened
in on this conversation?
Finally
Integrity is a value that we should strive for in all areas of your life. It should be an integral
part of our lives. Be who are. Say what you mean. Do what you say you will do. Don’t
just walk the walk; talk the talk.