“Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place”. Psalm 51:6 NIV
We all want to be real.
We want to avoid duplicity and insincerity. We don’t want to be one thing in public and a completely different kind of person in private. We want to “walk the talk”. We want people to know that we are transparently sincere both in what we say and in what we do.
David had been anything but upright. He had been immature, weak and deceitful. He had been untruthful in having Uriah killed in battle when it was really murder. He had broken two of the great commandments – the sixth (“Thou shalt not murder”) and the seventh (“Thou shalt not commit adultery”, Ex 20:13,14 NIV). But in the mental torture he had visited upon himself, in the guilt he was experiencing and the shame he had brought upon himself and Bathsheba – and the office he held – he knew he could not sort out his inner mess. Only God could lead him out of the pickle. So he pleads with God “Teach me wisdom in my secret heart”. “In other words, he virtually begs ‘Give me a new personality, one that is aware of my relationship to you and to other people within the Covenant” (G.A.F. Knight, The Psalms Vol I p244).
Jesus Christ demands the same inner integrity of his disciples today. This goes especially for honouring and scrupulously observing the truth in financial matters. Any failure in this area will bring dishonour on the Christian community. It will cancel the effect of any good the Christian community might bring about in the wider community. Be real. Be upright. Be truthful. And let the Holy Spirit build you up.
Prayer thought
Lord, give me complete and uncompromised integrity. Amen.
