How do we protect ourselves?  How do we stay safe, not only for ourselves but for those we care about? 

Some answer by describing door locks, safety bunkers, strong fences, surveillance cameras, or first-aid kits. All of these things are external; they exist outside of us. Depending on the situation they can be very helpful. 

But in Psalm 25:21 David describes a kind of protection that begins within: “May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, LORD, is in you.” 

How in the world is integrity supposed to protect you?

If you have ever been falsely accused of something you know it hurts. If you have ever been made to feel embarrassed about something you know that hurts too. But if you have lived with integrity before God, then you can stand before him with a clear conscience, regardless of what people have said. In the end, what matters is what God thinks not what other people think. In these types of situations, integrity protects your conscience from undue guilt or shame.

After doing or saying the right thing in a difficult situation it’s easier to sleep at night. In a sense, your mind has been protected. When you look into the mirror, you can be at peace—even if others are trying to throw invisible sticks and stones at you.

Integrity is living wholeheartedly for God no matter the situation. With God’s help, let’s strive to do just that. 

“May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, LORD, is in you.”

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Notes and extra content:

–“May integrity and uprightness protect you.” Sermon. July 7, 2024. Click here.
–Bible quotes are from the NIV.