Don’t Sell Your Integrity

I recently watched a clip from the TV comedy series ‘A Different World’ where the character Whitley offers Dwayne her boyfriend the starting rate of $25 per hour to do her maths homework, he repeatedly said no and each time she refused the rate was increased to the final figure of $100 an hour. Dwayne eventually replied to her saying “this is not homework hut where you order we deliver”. Dwayne’s refusal to back down even when Whitley proceeded to add emotional manipulation to the situation, is really admirable to watch. I was so impressed by the fact that Dwayne didn’t compromise his integrity regardless of the amount of money offered or pressure applied by Whitely, he stood his ground with a loud resounding no.

Many times we can be in situations where we are offered money, promotion, prestige to compromise our integrity, occasionally these offers are blatantly obvious and other times they can be very subtle but why is it important not to sell this virtuous quality? For one it breaches trust and honesty.

Oxford Dictionary defines integrity as being “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change”¹. Dwayne’s refusal was clearly evident which demonstrated that his integrity could never be bought. A price cannot be placed on this God-given quality, Job was singled out by God as being a man with integrity in the book of Job, chapter 2 verse 3 from the Bible states “… Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity…”“.

As a Christian my standard for living is the Bible for others it could be other self help methods. In my line of work family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances know I’m a Christian and therefore a high standard is expected by them from me ranging from my conduct to the way I live my life. I’m also entrusted with the deep innermost secrets of others, and therefore have to ensure that whoever I’m in communication with I maintain confidentiality at all times. Yes, I have my days where I want to be away from people or I’m not feeling great but I consider myself accountable to God and therefore betraying trust, being dishonest is something I don’t want to be accused of doing.

Another reason why it’s important we maintain and not sell our integrity is because by keeping it, this leads to long lasting, beautiful and fruitful relationships, loosing it results in lost and broken relationships, trust and loneliness. No one wants an untrustworthy person around them.

Don’t compromise your integrity by selling it regardless of the cost, it may be painful being true to yourself and others in the short term, but if you stay the course it’ll be worth it and you’ll be known as a person of integrity and high standing. Don’t ever sell this precious commodity as your life and the lives of others may depend on it.

Until next time, remember you are beautiful and wonderfully made – With love Amanda x          

Amanda Alexander – Founder of Elect Lady Ministries, Female Dignity & Amanda Alexander Productions

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¹integrity noun – Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com

² Job 2:3 NIV – Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have – Bible Gateway