Integrity cannot be gained by power and authority, integrity must be gained long before these have been placed in our hands. 

Integrity requires that you decide what kind of person you want to become. This journey goes against the natural flow of human history. There is a dramatic difference between seeking honor and being honorable. 

Integrity not only harnesses our passions, but focuses our intentions. 

The real measure of our power is the freedom and opportunity we create for others. Men and women who are marked by integrity point the way to freedom. Leaders of integrity don’t simply lead by example; they lead by essence. These leaders call others only to choose the life they have already chosen. They don’t point the way down a certain path; they pave the way where no path exits. They inspire others not only by their words and actions, but by the promise of the kind of people we can become. A person of integrity never lies about the journey. He acknowledges in humility where he came from, who he is, and where he hopes to go. His accomplishments, as great as they may be, never overshadow his character. 

Perhaps the most amazing thing about integrity is when you still choose to do what’s right when you’re all alone, no one sees you, and no one will know what you do. It’s a wonderful thing when you look inside your own heart and like what you see. 

Erwin Raphael McManus — Uprising (pp. 80-83)

Integrity is something I have always wanted but didn’t always possess. It wasn’t until a great friend of mine called me out on my poor behavioral choices that I was jarred to face my immaturity. With that eye-opening conversation, I began to apply myself to my own personal growth and development.

Let me be clear: it has been a long journey!

In a lot of ways, I felt similar to Frodo Baggins trying to return the One Ring to the fires of Mount Doom. With each new day, I was faced with outside forces attempting to knock me off my path; and I was faced with internal dragons that needed to be slayed.

But something eventually happened; I realized that I couldn’t slay my personal dragons on my own. I spent years in counseling and I began to contemplate every area of my life. I questioned all the worldviews and beliefs I was raised to live with, and I wrestled with dogmatic viewpoints until I gained my own personal bearings. I read most anything I could get my hands on that gave me a fresh perspective about my journey on this earth. It wasn’t until I began to make my beliefs my own that I realized my integrity was actually growing.

Integrity is something that requires we be honest with ourselves and take long hard looks in the mirror. Yes, even sometimes a close friend needs to point out some blind spots we may not be able to see about ourselves. Whether we’re robbing, lying, cheating, or stealing; or whether we’re going to church three times per week, nobody is perfect and we can always use a check-up on our integrity.

Is the journey of integrity something you’ve embarked on?

Have a blessed day.

Peace and Love,

~Travis