There are some people in life that leave a lasting, positive impression on you.
- They say and do what’s right in every situation.
- They’re the same in public as they are in private.
- They lovingly speak the truth
- They keep their word.
- They’re genuinely interested and concerned about you when you’re talking to them.
- They are people of peace, but they are not afraid to confront difficult issues.
In short…they are people of integrity.
In 2 Samuel chapters 9 and 10, you see David’s integrity.
In chapter 9, David shows himself to be a man of his word. There, he’s intent on keeping a promise he made, even though everyone around him would say, “You’re not obligated to do this.” He commits to showing kindness to Mephibosheth as long as he lived, even though this is the descendant of the king who sought to kill him.
In chapter 10, David attempts to show sympathy and concern to the new Amorite king at the loss of his father. David was under no obligation to do so, but this king’s father had been loyal to David and David wanted to return that loyalty. But when the new king responded harshly to David’s gestures, David was not afraid to deal with the difficult situation.
In short, David was a man of integrity. He was the real deal. He was devoted to God, devoted to others, and devoted to doing the right thing. These are the characteristics of integrity.
I want to be more like David in these ways. I want people to look at me and say, “He’s the real deal. He’s the same no matter where he is or who he’s with.” I want to be a person of integrity. How about you?