Integrity is hard.

I mean, it can be really hard. Sin is extremely tempting, and all too often we succumb to its deceitful, tantalizing appeal. We fail.

Integrity can be very hard.

But you can beat that failure more often by keeping an optimistic attitude.

Too often, the topics of our conversation is the latest scandal, or the news of someone’s failure. Dads, we need to stop that.

Recently, in my town, I had a conversation with a friend. He kept going on about one particular person in our community and just how bad this person was. It became a very uncomfortable conversation simply because all he talked about was the bad, when there are clearly some very good aspects to this very person.

Dads, you and I need to focus on the good, on the positive.

Seek positive examples of integrity in the news and in your community. And then talk about those with your friends and family rather than the bad. This helps build others up, but, perhaps more importantly, your kids will see you focusing on the positive and learn to emulate you in that.

We need to be sensitive about endorsing examples of integrity. It has to become more of an element in our speech than criticism and gossip.

It won’t be long before people realize that you speak positively about others, and they will love being with you. Your kids will remember you as someone who always saw the good in others, and not the bad.

Dads, this is something we need to strive for. This is something we need to instill into our lives as men of integrity.

Be deliberate, Dad!

How do you speak of others? What do you need to change? You can leave your thoughts in the comments by clicking here.