Right off the bat, I want to clarify something. I’m not satisfied with the title of this post.
I am not advocating that we listen to all the opinions of everyone who crosses our path. That simply would not be healthy.
But there are certain people in our lives whose opinions we value. And those are worth considering in our search for integrity in our lives.
For example, I have a couple of friends who are pretty crude and coarse, especially in their language and joking. When I spend any time with them, I often begin to feel a bit uncomfortable. I ask myself the question, “What would my wife think about this conversation?” Or, “What if my kids overheard this stuff?”
I have had several people in my life over the years who help a very special place in my life, and I valued their input tremendously. My father was one of those people. There is an elder in a previous church who fits into this category. My coworkers and other leadership members at our church are some people who hold opinions I highly respect.
When I am in situations that may be questionable, I often think of such people, and imagine how they would respond or react if they were with me. That is often enough to help me reconsider anything I may be tempted to do or say.
Several years ago, a craze swept the Christian world. WWJD. What Would Jesus Do? And this is a great question to ask. If Jesus were with me in this situation, how would he respond? But sometimes that feels vague and indefinite. Sometimes, it may be more helpful to ask the question, “What would my wife do?” Or, “What would my friend Paul do?”
The point of all of this, of course, is to help us to consistently make the choices that need to be made, regardless of where we are or who we may be with. That is what integrity is.
And, as we display this consistently in our lives, our kids will notice. And they will learn to do the same.
That makes it completely worth the effort.
Be deliberate, Dad!
Whose opinion do you value above all others? You can leave your thoughts in the comments by clicking here.