[These letters to my two oldest grandsons, 13 and 11 are not fictional. They read them, feeling special to be "blogged" about, and we will chat about them during my visits and Dad (Matt, co writer) will engage them in the meantime. This series is also for YOU (Old Folks). It's a reminder how essential a quality INTEGRITY is to our lives. Thoughts I offer the boys can prod you into fresh thinking. A few moments of reading and a quick inventory just might refresh your soul, might adjust your behavior...today.]

YOU WILL STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD IF YOU HAVE INTEGRITY (so, answer the question, below)

So, a man or woman of INTEGRITY, bases their worldview and their behavior on principles, NOT on whim, good intentions, or even on “whatever”. Key word, kids; a big one but really important: INTENTIONAL. Good character and its solid core in INTEGRITY is not by accident or good chance. It is something you set your mind and heart on to achieve deliberately. Get this started early. Like now. Many adults don’t deliberately build INTEGRITY in to their lives until too late.

Since you guys and I follow Christ as our Lord and Leader, those prinicples are found in Scripture. There’s a lot of them. Here’s one for starters: I Chronicals 29:17 “I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. We’ll explore others when we get together. We’ll see how INTEGRITY will prove to be that anchor or foundation for your life I mentioned earlier.  The new testament has a bunch, too.  Look it up.  Titus is way in the back of  the New Testament, but boy does it hit the spot.  Young men, it says, be serious about INTEGRITY so no one can say bad things about you and the Church of Christ.

So, answer the questions, OK? 1) What is INTEGRITY as you see it right now? 2) What is it based on? 3) What should it look like as seen in you by friends and family, and 4) what will it look like, how will friends and family see you, if you lack full personal INTEGRITY? 5) STOP for just a second. Try to name one person in both of these categories. Some lives stand out as models. Good and bad ones. My life-long prayer for each of you and your younger siblings is that you will be a model of godly INTEGRITY. As you see, God likes it, too. A LOT. And as you pass this on to your own grandchildren I will be smiling from my great seat in Heaven’s bleechers.

POPI

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