In The Holy Land: Integrity

Here's my sacrament meeting talk from last week:

In 16^th century England, during the reign of King Henry VIII, a man was faced with a life or death choice. He could have either stayed true to his beliefs and suffered the negative consequences or given into the pressure, rejected the standards upon which he had centered his life, and thereby could have lived a longer and prosperous life with his family. That man was Sir Thomas More, Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII. He disapproved with both Henry’s divorce and dissent from the church in Rome. Those who have studied him or at least have seen the play A Man for All Seasons, know that More never bent to the will of the king and court, and thus lost everything, including his life. In the play, More says, “I am commanded by the king to be brief, and since I am the king's obedient subject, brief I will be. I die His Majesty's good servant, but God's first…. What is an oath then but words we say to God?”

In the midst of Job’s adversities, Job proclaims, “Till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me” (Job 27:5). This statement exemplifies both Job’s and Sir Thomas More’s lives, and it should exemplify ours.

What is integrity?

The term is defined as 1. A steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code, 2. Total honesty and sincerity, 3. The state of being whole and undivided, and 4. Soundness of moral character.

I think the most common correlation we make with integrity is honesty, but integrity is so much more than simply honesty. Dean mentioned to me last night that you must have honesty in order to have integrity, but simply being honest doesn’t necessarily mean you have integrity. As I personally like to say, integrity is complete honesty, openness, and sincerity with not just others but also with yourself and God.

President Faust said, “Integrity is the value we set on ourselves. It is a fulfillment of the duty we owe ourselves. An honorable man or woman will personally commit to live up to certain self-imposed expectations. They need no outside check or control. They are honorable in their inner core.  Where does the soul play its part best? Is it in outward show? Or is it within, where no mortal eyes can penetrate and where we have an inner defense against the tragedies of life? Integrity is the light that shines from a disciplined conscience. It is the strength of duty within us. Moses gave the following counsel: “If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.” (Num. 30:2.)… Being true to oneself at times requires extraordinary strength and courage…. Natural, inherent integrity is manifested almost every hour of every day of our lives. Those who unjustly profit at the expense of others may gain a fortune, but they forfeit something more important, which is their own integrity. Taking advantage of others is a counterfeit form of true success and honor…. Complete and constant integrity is a great law of human conduct. There need to be some absolutes in life. There are some things that should not ever be done, some lines that should never be crossed, vows that should never be broken, words that should never be spoken, and thoughts that should never be entertained.” (End quote.)

To continue with the quote from A Man for all Seasons: “When a man takes an oath, he's holding his own self in his own hands. Like water. And if he opens his fingers then — he needn't hope to find himself again.” In other words, if we try to reach out to hold onto something besides the oath or belief we are holding, then, like water, our oath or belief will flow from our grasp.

Proverbs 10: 9 reads, “He that walketh uprightly walketh surely.”

Characters with integrity are whole and of one cloth. They are not patchwork and unstable or unpredictable characters who change on a whim. This is why integrity is more than simply honesty and requires a lot more of us. To determine to have integrity is to determine to dedicate your life to your beliefs and to be wholly sincere. As Gandhi said, “To believe in something, and not to live it, is dishonest.” I think he would agree if I were to change that statement slightly: “To believe in something, and not to live it, is lacking integrity.”

Marion G. Romney said, “One of the definitions of integrity reads, ‘The quality or state of being of sound moral principle; uprightness, honesty, and sincerity.’ In distinguishing between the synonyms of integrity, honesty, honor, probity, and veracity, Webster’s New World Dictionary says that ‘integrity implies an incorruptible soundness of moral character, especially as displayed in fulfilling trusts.’ ‘Give us the man of integrity,’ says A. P. Stanley, ‘on whom we know we can thoroughly depend; who will stand firm when others fail; the friend, faithful and true; the adviser, honest and fearless; the adversary, just and chivalrous; such an one is a fragment of the Rock of Ages.’… Our very civilization is in jeopardy. If it is to be rescued, it must be done by men of integrity.” (End quote.)

One thing that stands out to me from that quote is that a person of integrity is someone we can depend on. This emphasizes the importance of integrity in our relationship with God and others. Integrity builds a strong foundation for trust.

This past Monday the students had the opportunity to harvest the olive trees around the center, and at one moment I had to stand on a chair on a table in order to reach some of the olives.

 I would’ve have been anxious and worried about my precarious foundation if it hadn’t been for Brother Anderson, who held onto the legs of the chair to keep it from sliding or toppling.

When we have integrity, the people around us can rely on us to hold onto the legs of their chairs to help them steady their foundation so that they can reach the best fruits.

Proverbs 11: 3 says, “The integrity of the upright shall guide them.”

Lastly, if we trust and believe in Him, we can know that our Savior is also holding onto the legs of our chair always. He is our foundation, and because of His perfect integrity, we can rely on Him completely. He wants us to trust in Him and to reach the best olives in life.