Craig Groeschel played on his high school’s tennis team. One evening at an out-of-town tournament, the team went mini-putting. At the end of the round, each of the players stole their golf balls as a memento, including Craig.

Back at the hotel, the coach saw Craig with his ball and realized he had stolen it. “You’re off the team.” What?! Craig was totally shocked and surprised. His coach explained: “If you’ll steal a golf ball, you’ll steal other things. You don’t have integrity. So you’re not playing for me.”

After it became clear that Craig was reeeaaaallly sorry and that he hadn’t fully understood the gravity of what he had done, he was allowed to stay on the team on one condition. He had to go back to the owner of the mini-putt course, admit what he had done, apologize, and give the ball back.

He did! And to this day he knows the value of integrity.*

Proverbs 10:9 says, “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.” If not by others, then by God.

Have integrity in the little things. As Craig’s coach reminded him, not only do little things lead to big things, but little things reveal the true condition and disposition of our heart.

What will you do today? What will you say? Who will you interact with? What will you decide? What kind of person are you being and becoming?

“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely…”

Have integrity in the little things.

By Matthew Ruttan

–*Craig Groeschel, Altar Ego: Becoming Who God Says You Are (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2013), 114.
–Bible quotes are from the NIV.