Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool. – Proverbs 19:1
It seems that so much of life around us involves trying to get ahead. We are constantly working for a promotion, a bigger house, a nicer car. Everything in life seems to revolve around taking that next step in the ladder of social status.
It is not always the case, but many times a person’s integrity can be a concern when considering those movements in life. How many times have you heard about someone in a powerful position who has compromised their integrity? We have seen it in our world and have read the examples throughout scripture of those who were in powerful positions, with wealth and fame, who sacrificed their integrity.
Sometimes the sacrifice is in order to obtain those powerful positions, other times the loss of integrity comes because of those positions. Proverbs 19:1 tells us clearly that it is better to be poor and maintain your integrity than to obtain the riches and power of this world and lose your integrity.
For the Christian, integrity is vitally important. Our integrity shows all those around us that we are moral and ethical people. It shows the world that we are not willing to sacrifice what is true and right for personal gain. But once integrity is questioned, it can be lost forever.
Proverbs 19:1 is a strong reminder to maintain our integrity throughout all parts of our life. It’s not worth sacrificing your integrity to obtain that high-paying job or that fancy house and car. It’s far better to be poor and maintain your integrity.