Throw Away the
Mask
October 6, 2003
A biblical author once wrote, "Jesus Christ is the
same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus is
both eternal and unchanging. If the author of Hebrews had wanted
to use one word to describe Jesus as unchanging he could have
said, "Jesus possesses integrity." The word integrity speaks of
someone who is "whole or complete" and has the same root word as
does the word integrated. A man of integrity has taken the
principals that govern his life (like the Ten Commandments),
internalized them and integrated them into every area of his
life.
A man of integrity isn't like a weathervane that
changes direction with every shift of the social winds. He's
like a compass that is internally magnetized so it always points
north regardless of what's happening around it. He is honest at
work and at home. He keeps promises even if it means a financial
loss. He speaks well of his clients in their presence and behind
their back. He doesn't treat his wife with respect in public and
belittle her behind closed doors. A man of integrity doesn't
switch masks to win the favor of the audience he's playing for.
In fact, he works to throw away all masks.
Because men of integrity don't pretend to be
something they're not, with them, what you see is what you get,
literally. And it's not that men of integrity are perfect--they
aren't. But they're aware of their weaknesses and don't lead
others to believe they have no personal flaws.
In order to cultivate integrity we need others we
can trust to point out the gaps between our beliefs and our
behavior. If you want to be a man of integrity--cultivate
friends who will help peel away your masks and throw them away.
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