[Contuing the series of legacy letters to Taylor, 12, approaching his Rite of Passage and Colton, following close at his heals with an entirely different pesonality to filter a grandfather's "finishing well" stage of life. The goal is helping the boy's parents equip them to stand strong in the Lord and to LIGHTHOUSE of goodness and godliness for others in the turbulent future ahead.]

OK. Nice start, guys. Good response. You’re getting the idea. What I say in lots of words, you confirm with a few. Attawaytogo! So, let’s dig in.

INTEGRITY. Sometimes I think the root Latin word is “Gritty” (“Tough; working against the grain. Or, grains of sand added to cement to give it strength. Or, True Grit, like the girl said of Rooster Cogburn; someone who sticks it out to do what’s right, even when safety and other voices scream, ‘Get out quick! Take the easy way’”).

Let me tell you why INTEGRITY is the first among important character traits that will equip you to be a Prince in the Kingdom of God in the challenging years ahead. You with me so far? Good, then you’ll click “MORE” to get my thoughts in two more short paragraphs and some quotes. . .

Keep this in mind, kids. INTEGRITY isn’t natural. It is the result of choices, sometimes (often, actually) brave ones. It’s doing the right thing, but sometimes the voice telling you what is right is soft. INTEGRITY has to be a habit; it will keep you from arguing with your conscience. Remember, boys, as spiritually-born followers of Christ your conscience is what God uses to guide you. God shares Himself with you by setting the Holy Spirit inside you. “Wow,” right? So, you are not alone when you need to decide what is right AND DOING IT. I don’t mean Mom yelling, either. Colossians 3:15 speaks of the Holy Spirit as the “referee” Who blows the whistle in your heart. Let’s call that the process.

In my Navy days, INTEGRITY was the key word in our fitness reports. You could trust this officer as a wingman and as a comrade. He’ll have your back, he’ll carry his share of the load…and more when required. In social settings, and intellectual ones, too, if you are authentic, the real deal, not a manipulator, you have INTEGRITY

Gee, I have four more paragraphs. Who knows how many I can whip out once I get going. But, for now, let me tie this one up with by describing INTEGRITY with a couple of quotes.

First from Scripture. I Chronicles 9 as King David gives thanks for his selection to build the Temple; “I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity.

From Allan Simpson, my favorite senator. He’s more than half cowboy: “If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters.”

Then mine: INTEGRITY is who you are and what you do when no one is looking.

POPI

So, “T” and Colton–and my readers–can you close your eyes just for a few seconds and name character qualities that flow out of INTEGRITY? Three would be good, Five would be TRUE GRIT.

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