Perhaps the most critical aspect of being a dadhood is our own personal integrity.

Who you are when people are watching is the easy question to answer, because we are aware that people are watching, and we want them to see the best in us.

But who we are when no one is watching is the bigger question. Who you are in the very deepest part of yourself is the real you. And sooner or later, that part of you will be displayed, if to none other than God himself.

Being true to him, and to yourself, is called integrity. And let me tell you dads, if we do not display integrity, our kids will notice.

Let me give you an example from my own life. A few years ago, my sons and I were at Home Depot. We checked out, and headed to the van. As we loaded our purchases, I noticed that an outlet cover was lying in the bottom of the cart, unbagged. That meant that it hadn’t been purchased, and been missed as the cashier scanned all the stuff in our cart.

I double checked the receipt and, sure enough, it wasn’t on there.

This thing was an item that cost about eighty-eight cents. No big deal, right?

Wrong.

I took my boys, grabbed the outlet cover and went back in and paid for it, even though it was a hassle to get my youngest back out of his car seat and carry him back in.

But it was the right thing to do. And my older son noticed it.

Integrity is important. Over the next several weeks, I want to look at several ways to develop yourself as a man of integrity. Some of these will be no brainers. Others you may not have thought of. Either way, the reminders will be good for both of us.

Because the simple truth is that people can tell if we have integrity or not. And the people that can tell the most are the ones we do life with, our family.

Some of the topics I want to cover include being morally rooted, selflessness, compartmentalizing our lives, accountability, and more. And if you have any ideas that you would like to see covered, feel free to let me know. I would love your input.

In 1925, during the U.S. Open, golfer Bobby Jones pulled a one iron out of his bag and addressed the ball. As he set up to hit out of the rough grass, his ball moved ever so slightly, a motion that calls for a stroke penalty. He was the only one who saw it; and yet, he called the penalty on himself. The penalty cost him the championship.

As men of integrity, we need to be all about such things as honesty, truth, nobility, and right, no matter what it may cost us. If we don’t have integrity, we don’t really have anything. But when it is embedded deep in our lives, we know that our lives are pleasing to God, making him attractive to those around us.

Integrity is one of the most important characteristics we need to develop.

And our kids depend on it.

Be deliberate, Dad!

How has integrity displayed itself in your life, for good or for bad? You can leave your thoughts in the comments by clicking here.