I once heard our pastor say,
 
“A life of consistent integrity is a quiet defense of Christ in us.”
 
We are believers.
Our beliefs are shown through our faith.
Faith is not just an invisible idea that sounds pretty. It is an action of trust, service, prayer, and intimacy with God.
Faith is the fruit we bear in our lives.
So like the apples that form from the apple tree, so will what we say we believe align with our abiding faith.
 
We will make mistakes. We will turn from God in our grief sometimes. We will sin. But the rotten fruit will not kill the tree that is rooted.
 
Our honest self will find a way to show itself. People know- or will come to know- what follows beyond our words. This may be especially important to recognize when we ought to be the display of Christ through our character to non-believers. They see how we respond, how we initiate, where we show up, how we speak of ourselves and of others, what we value, what we prioritize, how we serve others, how we steward the gifts we’ve been given….it’s all the natural aroma of our character.
 
So now the question is: what are we doing to take care of this precious integrity and our spiritual growth? Consistent integrity needs consistent replenishment by what is honorable and true.
 
There is only One who we can turn to in prayer, in repentance, and in hope.
Has any other tactic ever worked? Our most reliable sources for breathing out God’s truth through your character does not come from our closest friend. It doesn’t come from our spouse. It doesn’t come from a Pinterest poem or a self-help book.
 
Do I need to say it?
It’s God’s word.
It’s intimacy with God.
It’s falling in love with learning about God’s will and the character of His Son.
Your faith is underneath the dust on the Bible you keep forgetting about on your coffee table or night stand. Maybe I’m just talking to myself more than others, but I do know that if I want to have integrity like Jesus, I need to keep diving into Jesus’ integrity.