Preserving Integrity: A Secret To Longevity

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the importance of preserving integrity in our lives. Typically, when we talk about what threatens integrity, we talk about greed, dishonesty, lying, and the like. But when something has integrity, it means that its original design and purpose has been preserved and unaffected.

Wrongdoing is not integrity’s lone foe.

Things like fatigue, grief, disappointment, and hopelessness can affect you to the point of losing your integrity. It’s not that you become deceitful or disloyal, but you can certainly become discouraged and demotivated and fall short in fulfilling your purpose.

It starts with the little things; the small disciplines that can yield long-term results are overlooked. Then a persisting low-grade frustration will disturb our inner-peace. That’s when some of the bigger cracks on the foundation begin to show up.

Matthew penned this short story recounting what took place when he was walking with Jesus and his friends one morning:

And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. — Matthew 21:19 ESV

It says in Mark that the tree was “in leaf”. That means, it was the season for figs, yet this tree was not living its purpose. Jesus’s command is worthy of our attention. The lesson is: that which has lost its integrity and purpose is as good as dead.

I love this quote from John Maxwell:

“Integrity commits itself to character over personal gain, to people over things, to service over power, to principle over convenience, to the long view over the immediate.”

We should work hard to make sure the integrity of our mission is preserved.

Times change, methods change, life happens. There are uncontrollable events and circumstances, but it would be wise for you to preserve the integrity of your life’s mission. Jesus stated his life’s mission as follows: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

You may scour the Scriptures trying to find one moment in which the integrity of Jesus’s mission was corrupted. You won’t find it. Whether you believe in Jesus or not, there is no denying He was effective.

It would be immeasurably sad for you, after having lived your life, to look back and deem you were ineffective in your life’s mission; like that fig tree. May that not be you! Preserve the integrity of your life’s mission.

If you are still reading and you are unsure of your life’s mission, here is a roadmap to it: Don’t start by looking at your heart. First, look at your hands. Your talents and abilities will make room for your life’s mission. After you have mastered your talent enough, pair it with your desire to help others and make the world better.

Life brings a lot of wear and tear; disappointment, unmet expectations, and loss can corrupt our commitment to our life’s mission. Preserving integrity will help you go the distance and make you effective to the end.