Scripture
“You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice. And do not slant your testimony in favor of a person just because that person is poor.”
Exodus 23:2-3 NLT
Observation
I remember that when I was a teenager I often struggled in to do what is right or to do what others were doing. I believe that most of the time I chose to do what was right. But there were a few times, which I came to regret later, that I followed to crowd.
When you follow the crowd, you are accepted by the group. But if that the group is doing isn’t right, you slowly start to twist your own life values.
But what the verse above wants to teach here is about integrity. And integrity cannot be twisted, even if it is to favor someone in need. It teaches that what is right is right and what is wrong is wrong, even if the motive seems to be good.
Application
Integrity means to be honest, and also to be undivided. To have integrity means to be honest at all circumstances, not only when I am in front of others, but when I am on my own as well.
Recently I start to teach my daughter Yui about the word “cheating”. Not often, but sometimes, when I played hide and seek with her, she would be peeking while counting. Or on a rock-paper-scissors game, trying to last minute change her choice because she was going to loose. At first glance it seems cute, she thought no one realized what she was doing. But in a long term, that could develop a wrong character on her. So, teaching “no cheating” for her was a way to teach her to have integrity even in small things.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to have more integrity, and never don’t twist truth and justice, even if that could help someone in need.
