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The Test of Integrity
Genesis 39: 1-20
Have you ever heard of a secret shopper? There are many companies out
there that hire people to come in and tell them how they are doing.
These people are hired to distinguish everything from the cleanliness of
an establishment, to the friendliness of the employees, to the overall
shopping experience.
When I worked for Sears we had our share of Secret Shoppers as well. It
was these peoples job to test the integrity of the people working behind
the counter. What they would do is come into your department and make a
purchase when no other customers are around. They would place the exact
amount of their purchase in cash down on the counter, but the trick is
they don’t wait for the employee to ring up the sale. They just put the
cash on the counter, say “I’m in a hurry” and leave the worker alone
with the money.
Now some people ring up the sale as usual and put the money in the
register, but there are others who pocket the cash. At the end of the
day they check the register tapes and if the sale is not on your
register then you lose you job.
One of our greatest struggles in this community, and in our nation as a
whole is that an old-fashioned value like integrity just isn’t in style
any more. But we have sold our honor for to cheep a price. Integrity is
vitally important. It’s indispensable. Every person who hopes to
experience lasting success in any area of life, whether that is a job, a
friendship, a business deal, a marriage; must pass the test of
integrity.
Tonight I want us to all take an integrity test. The test only has one
question, but it is a difficult one to answer. That question is: “Can I
be trusted when no one is looking?”
Can I be trusted to not steal from my employer when I’m alone in the
store?
Can I be trusted to honor my marriage vows when I’m by myself on a
business trip?
Can I hear the deep dark secret of a friend and be trusted to not tell
it to the world behind their back?
Can I be trusted to keep my eyes on my own test paper when the teacher
leaves the room?
Can I be trusted to turn in expense reports that aren’t padded with
make-believe expenditures?
Can I be trusted to be where I’ve told my parents I would be?
Can I be trusted to surf past the sexual immorality on the internet or
cable when no one else is around?
Can I be trusted when no one is looking?
Integrity is not just a community issue it is a spiritual issue, and the
Bible has a lot to say about it. 1 Chronicles 29:17 says “I know, my
God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity.”
Proverbs 11:3 the integrity of the upright guides them, but the
unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
Proverbs 13:6 Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness
overthrows the sinner.
There is one more text that we need to look at tonight. It is found in
Genesis 39:1-20, and in these verses we will see a test of integrity.
(Read Text)
Challenges to Integrity
I don’t know what went through Joseph’s mind at that point. I know what
would have gone through mine, and those thoughts would have challenged
my integrity. In fact, I think there are at least four such thoughts
that come to us in situations where compromise is an option.
Here’s the first one: “No one will know.” I can cheat on the test and
not get caught. I can pocket the money and no one will miss it.
For Joseph, as manager of the estate, it would have been easy to take
advantage of the situation. He could arrange the work schedules of the
other slaves and servants. He could produce an environment where no one
knew that he was cheating with the boss’s wife. He could maintain that
outward image of “honorable, hard-working, trustworthy Joseph” while
living a secret life of adultery.
“No one will know.” That’s the first challenge to integrity.
The second is the thought “Just this once.”
“I’m not going to make a lifestyle of this. I’m just going to try it
once out of curiosity. I’m not going to become a pornography addict. I’m
just going to watch one movie that my wife doesn’t know about. I’m not
going to have an affair with the boss’s husband. It’s one night of fun
while she’s away on business.”
It would have been easy for Joseph to rationalize - “just this once.”
Here’s another thought that challenges integrity: “People who play by
the rules finish last.”
“The deck is stacked against you. Sometimes you have to take shortcuts.
Sometimes you have to spread a little dirt about another person’s deep
dark secrets to slow them down. Integrity is counter-productive. It’s
like taking the long winding road, when there’s a more direct route.”
Nice guys and gals finish last.
Finally, and this is perhaps the most tempting challenge to integrity:
“I’m only taking what I deserve.”
“Sure, it’s wrong to steal from my employer. But isn’t it just as wrong
for them to pay me less than I’m worth? In a way, they’re stealing from
me. I’m just taking what they owe me.”
Who could blame Joseph for thinking “You know, I deserve this. I used to
be part of a family, but my brothers betrayed me. God told me I’d be a
success, but look at me - I’m a slave.”
“No one will know. Just this once. Nice guys finish last. I deserve it.”
But the Bible says that, in spite of these challenges to his integrity
Joseph refused [the advances of Potiphar’s wife]. “Look,” he told her,
“my master trusts me with everything in the entire household; he himself
has no more authority here than I have! He has held back nothing from me
except you yourself because you are his wife. How can I do such a wicked
thing as this? It would be a great sin against God.” Genesis 39:8-9
What People of Integrity Know that others don’t
And with those words, Joseph was well on the way to passing the test of
integrity, partly because he understood some things that are crystal
clear to people of integrity.
It’s tempting to tell yourself that no one will know. But Someone always
does.
You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you. Psalm 69:5
People of integrity know that God always sees, even if no one else does.
The second thing they know is that integrity is destroyed one decision
at a time.
“Just this once” almost always leads to “just this once more.”
Falsifying a tax return just once makes it harder to say “no” the next
time. Cheating on a test just once makes it that much easier to cheat
again. Little by little, integrity is destroyed.
That’s why the Bible says to Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your
gaze directly before you ... Do not swerve to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil. Proverbs 4:25, 27
In other words, don’t tolerate any deviation where your integrity is
concerned. One small step off of the path can lead to another and
another and eventually to destruction.
Finally, people of integrity know that, sometimes, integrity demands a
high price.
Telling your friends “sorry, I’m not going to be involved in that kind
of activity behind my parents back” might cost you an invitation to the
next party. It might even cost you their friendship. That’s the price of
integrity.
Admitting the truth about an error you made at work instead of covering
it up or blaming it on someone else might tarnish your reputation. It
could even cost you dollars at the next performance review. That’s the
price of integrity.
Integrity is not cheap. Look at what it cost Joseph. According to the
Bible, even though Joseph refused her initial invitation, Potiphar’s
wife kept tempting him day after day. And day after day he kept saying
“no.”
It’s enough to make you wonder if it’s really worth it! I’m sure that
thought crossed Joseph’s mind as he sat in prison. “Maybe I should have
just gone along with her.” And that gets to the heart of the matter.
What is the payoff of integrity? And, given the potential price, it had
better be good.
I’m convinced that there are three outstanding benefits that far
outweigh any cost associated with integrity. See what you think about
there payoff to being a person of Integrity.
The first benefit is the peace and joy that comes from a clear
conscience.
People who have a clear conscience sleep well at night. They’re not
worried about skeletons in the closet that might be discovered. They
don’t have to constantly wonder “have I covered my tracks well enough?”
They don’t stress over trying to remember “which lie did I tell this
person?”
Sure, they may be lower on the popularity scale, they may be a few
dollars poorer, they may even be taken advantage of, but they can look
themselves in the mirror and say, “I can be trusted when no one is
looking.” And that brings them great joy.
The second benefit is an increase in spiritual vitality - a closeness to
God and an increasing awareness of His presence.
Listen to this incredible passage of scripture: LORD, who may dwell in
your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? [Who can be close to
you? Who has vitality in their spiritual life?] He whose walk is
blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his
heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors
those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who
lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the
innocent. Psalm 15:15
In other words, a person who can be trusted when no one is looking - a
person of integrity!
Finally, integrity opens the door to God’s blessing.
It leads to the path of success. Now, I know that some of you are
thinking “it doesn’t appear to have worked that way for Joseph!” But it
did. Even in prison, he experienced upward mobility much as he had in
Potiphar’s household. So much so, that eventually, the Bible says, the
warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was
made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no
attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with
Joseph and [get this] gave him success in whatever he did. Genesis
39:22-23
God says again and again throughout the Bible that He will bless men and
women of integrity. That doesn’t mean that your life becomes a cakewalk.
In fact, you might still be in the jailhouse, figuratively speaking, but
God “gives you success” in spite of the situation, as he did Joseph.
So, there you have it - the peace and joy that comes from a clear
conscience; vitality in your relationship with God; God’s hand of
blessing on your life. Those are just part of the payoff of integrity.
Now, I know some of you are thinking, “I can live without those things.
It doesn’t seem to me that the payoff is worth the price.” Have it your
way. But I predict that one day it will be worth it.
I say that because there are people sitting here tonight who used to
think that way. But now they’re thinking, “I’d give anything to have a
clear conscience. I’d give anything to have no secrets from my husband
or wife, to end the lies to my parents, for no more cover-ups at work.
I’d give anything to have a relationship with God that’s vibrant and
alive; to sense His presence and closeness. I’d give anything to be the
kind of person that God blesses. I’d give anything to be a person of
integrity.”
If that’s where you are tonight, let me define exactly what it takes to
become that kind of person.
Take a ruthless inventory of your life ask yourself, “Can I be trusted
when no one else is looking?”
Confess to God (and others if necessary)
Ask Him for his strength, because you can’t do it on your own power.
And then, pay attention to the little things. You got to sweat the small
stuff when it comes to integrity. “Whoever can be trusted with very
little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very
little will also be dishonest with much. Luke 16:10
Finally, find someone to whom you can be accountable. Give someone
permission to ask you the hard questions about what’s behind the image
you project.
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