“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful…”
Psalm 1:1 (NKJV)

SEPTEMBER 7 - Having come across less than a handful of other Christians in her high school, the sixteen-year-old girl had few friends. Though always friendly, many of the other kids just did not covet her as a lose friend. As in all schools, there were the different groupings—the honor roll students, athletes, most popular, and average. But as she walked the noisy hallways day after day, she noticed one thing—other kids respected her because of the principles she held. They may not say it out loud, but she sensed their respect. However, not everyone is interested in taking the proverbial “straight and narrow.” To walk through life according to principle often means you must walk alone. Integrity requires you to walk in truth, thus affirming your faithfulness to God and to those with whom you associate.

Integrity also means as you build relationships, both parties must be willing to speak the truth in love, even at the expense of offending each other. Solomon gives us some insight into this idea, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of the an enemy are deceitful.” Because we have a desire to be valued and affirmed, we tend to gravitate towards those who tell us what we want to hear. We subconsciously surround ourselves with individuals who put on a facade of commitment because it feels good at the time.

This only leads to one place—a place of loneliness, with no bankable relationships. Refuse to allow anyone into the intimacies of your life if they are unwilling to agree and comply with the proven principles of truth and integrity.

Father, I thank You that I refuse to walk in the counsel of the ungodly,
stand in the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful.

Family Scripture Reading

Ephesians 1

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Posted under Principle Driven