Practice of Integrity

Introduction

Last September 18, 2020, I posted an article on the Call to Integrity. Those of you who may have read it will recall that this was an urgent call to walk the talk given the pervasive duplicity and hypocrisy observable on many levels of relational life.

Today, the article, Practice of Integrity, will expound a bit more on what constitutes the actual dynamics of integrity. It will expound on the elements of integrity and corresponding outcomes whenever it is present or absent.  

The term “integrity” has evolved from a few entries. From the Old French integrité (innocence, blamelessness; purity) to the Latin integritatem (soundness, wholeness, completeness) to integer (whole). In mathematics, an integer is descriptive of a whole number and not a fraction.

https://www.etymonline.com/word/integrity

The term now is understood to mean undivided wholeness or unbroken completeness. It is closely linked with the Hebrew shalom (wholeness) and the Greek eirene (peace coming from wholeness).

As the title of this article implies, integrity is to be practiced. It is neither theorized nor discussed to no end. It is a virtue primarily an internal reality experienced by the individual, but by necessity, it is demonstrated in genuine relationships.

Before we see the levels and outcomes of having or not having integrity, we will look at its specific elements. 

Four Elements of Integrity

There are four elements of integrity that are interrelated. They are honesty, congruency, absence of defensiveness, and discipline.  

1. Honesty 

Author James A. Faust would quip,

“Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth-telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving.”

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Truth is directly linked with honesty. On the other hand, any form of deceit is directly linked with dishonesty. 

Dishonesty has a wide range of coverage to include any of the following:

• telling misinformation;
• conveying wrong information;
• saying a promise without keeping it;
• quoting a statement without explaining the context of how and why it was said;
• withholding certain information that is vital to a greater understanding of a matter;
• pretending to be someone else;
• plagiarizing a written material or a quotation to appear it is one’s own; 
• mislabeling a content of an object;
• embellishment of a story for bigger impact;
• observing a double standard for behavior;
• disguising oneself apart from one’s family history, or
• advertising a professional skill that one has not been trained for and unauthorized to practice. 

The Bible explicitly declares when it warns and describes the devil as the father of all lies, for no truth resides in him (John 8:44, Holy Bible).

The result of demonic work is to bring the destruction of individuals, relationships, property, and communities. It can even destroy a nation. The common strategy employed towards arriving at the goal of destruction is the dissemination of deceit.  

But being honest also includes living and loving the truth. This is where integrity becomes extremely important.

Honesty, as an integral element of integrity, is not limited to the spoken word. It is living the truth and pursuing it with fervor, even if it could sometimes mean personal sacrifice. 

To the disciple who invokes the name and follows the model of the One who declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John:6, The Holy Bible), loving the truth is not seasonal; it is a matter of life! It is obedience in action. 

2. Congruence 

The term congruence literally means agreement or alignment. It is used in many fields of study like mathematics, geometry, or economics. 

But in psychology, it was used initially to refer to consistency between the ideal self and the person’s actual experience; agreement between personal attributes and behavior. (Carl Rogers, Client-Centered Therapy, 1951).

Today, congruence is simply defined as alignment among thought, feeling, word, and behavior. In spirituality, congruence could be understood as the agreement between deeply held beliefs and values with demonstrated moral uprightness. 

In simple words, congruence describes someone who is the same in the church when observed at home or the workplace. There is congruence when what one believes is displayed in real life.

For instance, if the person believes in the virtue of generosity, he or she regularly gives to the needy or provides support to organizations that offer hot meals to the hungry and shelter for the homeless.

There is also congruence when someone makes a promise and fulfills it promptly. The old saying “Your word is your bond” points to the practice of congruence. 

The opposite of congruence is hypocrisy or duplicity. Originally used to describe someone who wears a mask as part of a role portrayal in a stage play, hypocrisy has come to mean projecting to others an image that is different from who one is inside. It is pretending to be what one is not, for whatever reason. It is hiding the reality that occurs within. Indeed, it is a wearing of a mask of pretense!

Duplicity is another term that refers to the opposite of congruence. The word is derived from the idea of “doubleness,” which is the literal meaning.

It is often a doubleness between one’s word and one’s acts, or when one’s behavior with a particular ethnic group is apparently different from the behavior with other groups.

The best-seller song, which starts with “Smile though your heart is aching; Smile even though it’s breaking,” poetically described duplicity. (Charlie Chaplin, Smile, 1936). The songwriter brings to mind many comedy artists who suffer from major depression. 

3. Undefensiveness

The absence of defensiveness defines undefensiveness. A person with integrity demonstrates openness to criticism. The same individual does not need to be defensive. There is the willingness to listen to the perspective of another even if that means contrary to what one upholds. 

With integrity, the response to any question regarding what was said in the past is either Yes or No. For instance, in truth-telling and truth living, whoever has integrity does not need to remember the rationale for hiding something or saying a deceitful statement. There is no secret to preserve that calls for irrational use of energy. 

With integrity, there is no need to invoke a third party to strengthen one’s defense against an inquiry regarding past statements or behavior. There is also no need to accompany one’s declared words with a swear or an oath to make it more believable.

Because in integrity, one’s word is simple and uncomplicated. It comes from the heart, and because the heart is pure, there is no pollution of double-talk. Consequently, there is a power inherent in one’s word! 

Assigning blame to someone else or something is a classic symptom of defensiveness. Quickness to assign blame indicates an inability to have ownership of what was said or done which caused relational conflict.

In developmental psychology, this attitude is often observable in early childhood, which is developed to escape a foreseen disciplinary measure from an authority figure.

Fixation at childhood could insightfully explain defensiveness through blaming. As one grows towards adulthood, this pattern of defensiveness should have already been shed off. But the common saying, “Growing old should mean growing up,” is often not embraced by the defensive individual. 

A principle to often remember that might jog the memory in understanding the relationship between defensiveness and integrity is this: A high level of defensiveness suggests a low level of integrity. The more defensive a person is, the lesser is the presence of integrity! 

4. Discipline 

The word “discipline” is such a large term used in different ways. For example, it refers to a concentration in one’s formal study for professional expertise. “What is your discipline?” could mean “What is your expertise?” 

Another example of how discipline is used is enforcing a measure for disobedience as stipulated in the rules and regulations that are part of training.

This usage refers to the parental punitive response to disobedient children or when a soldier in the military establishment has violated a standard.  

In the discussion on integrity, the term discipline refers to self-control. This is the same usage when referring to the fruit of the Spirit as found in Galatians 5:22-23 (“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”) The last in the fruit cluster (self-control) could be understood “discipline of self.” 

How does discipline connect with integrity? Let me suggest three areas of linkage. 

1. Observing appropriate boundaries.
   
   A boundary is an imaginary line that signals who can and who cannot participate in one’s life process.
   
   Who is not invited to attend a birthday celebration planned for close family and friends only signals a boundary. A door to a teenage child’s room also signals a boundary.
   
   Any violation of these boundaries will incur a sense of emotional reactivity that could impact the status of relationships. 
   
   Whenever there is a boundary, the boundary setter is prompt to say “No” to anyone or anything that might cross the upheld boundary. A good example would be an offer of a job with more financial gain but would also include compromising one’s deeply held values which would challenge one’s integrity.
   
   A person with low level of integrity will struggle to say “No” for fear of hurting the feeling of someone who might react with rejection. 
   

2. Ordering of priorities.
   
   Life is constantly exposed to all types of distractions. A common distraction right now that besets almost everyone is the internet commerce. Simply observe how many people who attend a worship service, for example, are getting distracted by the ding of the cellular phone signaling the need to be responded to quickly.
   
   Prioritizing should be dictated by one’s values. To set one’s priority is to make a list of one’s values and to assign a time frame regarding how much is expended for each item regularly. For example, if one believes he values family life, how much actual time is expended to connect with family members?
   
   In the same token, if one values prayer, how much time is spent actually praying? After this very simple exercise, one could determine which is one’s top priority and which are the ones thought to be valuable but are not prioritized and therefore have not yet become an important value.
   
   Integrity comes in when one’s personally held values are actually ranked high in one’s priority list. Otherwise, some adjustment needs to be done to attain agreement between one’s values and one’s behavior. 

3. Pursuing balance in life.
   
   Due to the earlier mentioned distractions, there is an urgent call for balance in all areas of life. Failure to observe balance will directly cause physical and mental disorder; psychological dissonance; and relational conflict.
   
   Balance is needed between activity and rest; between social interaction and solitude; between giving and receiving; between nutrition and physical exercise; between working and resting; and between talking and listening.
   
   Integrity is important in pursuing balance through the exercise of the two previous areas of concern: the ordering of priorities to align with one’s personal values and the honoring of one’s boundaries so one could nurture self-care. 
   
   The metaphor of a balanced diet offers an illustration of how one could benefit from observing balance. Our country has been known for the prevalence of diseases of excesses. The latest report on obesity in the USA has reached 42.4% in 2017 – 2018. This is an increase of 11.9% from the report covering 1999-2000. (Adult Obesity Facts, Center of Disease Control).
   
   The scary result of lack of nutritional balance could teach us that the outcome due to lack of life balance at all levels will not be pleasant. 

Levels and Outcomes of Integrity

1. Personal

On the personal level, there is peace coming from wholeness whenever there is integrity. The individual does not need to strengthen his statement with a swear or an oath.

There is also simplicity in saying Yes and No, which breeds clarity in communication, without any potential suspicion that what is said may mean something else.

The person’s behavior has no hidden agenda or a desire to manipulate. What you see is what you get! WYSIWYG!

On the other hand, the lack of integrity results in a fragmented personal life. The long-term consequence of this fragmentation is living a double-standard characteristic of duplicity. 

It will not be long for this pattern of duplicity to result in an inner conflict that will overflow into relational conflict at various levels.

2. Spousal

On the spousal level, there is marital harmony and growth toward mutual trust whenever there is integrity due to the reliability of one’s word and actions.

In this relationship, trust for each other is solidly observed and conveyed. This high level of trust is responsible for the growth of mutual love and becomes the fertile ground for marital intimacy. 

However, when there is an absence of integrity, there is potential for suspiciousness that will eventually lead to marital conflict.

If the conflict is not properly resolved, the spousal duplicity could develop bitterness and resentment on both sides. This duo of bitterness and resentment could lead to marital separation or bitter divorce if not promptly addressed.

3. Familial

The presence of integrity on the familial level could lead to family harmony with children respecting their parents and with parents experiencing profound satisfaction for the consistent, observable behavior of the children. Trust and love, the two foundational virtues of stable family life, are evident and consistently nurtured. 

The opposite of this harmonious family experience becomes true whenever there is an absence of integrity. The children will develop disrespect for parents and resentment towards them, which could have a long-lasting adverse effect. In this context, both parents could develop a sense of competitiveness to gain the children’s alliance.

Furthermore, the hypocritical behavior of parents unwittingly models to the children how it is to become hypocritical adults themselves.

4. Institutional

The institutional dynamics are simply an extension of family realities. This means there will be unquestionable respect from subordinates whenever there is integrity among the leaders, similar to how children respond to their parents.

There is a collective willingness to observe, for the greater good of the organization, those items which are expected by management. Accompanying this willingness is a high level of esprit de corps among workers. 

On the other hand, the absence of integrity among the leaders is a quick recipe for disrespect and resentment among those who are considered subordinates or below the corporate rank.

If this is unaddressed at its core, workers’ morale will dip to an all-time low. It will not be long for the institution to suffer administrative chaos and utter lack of worker effectiveness.

5. Governmental

On a larger governmental scale, the presence of integrity among the leadership is directly linked with the experience of the citizenry of peace and security.

The people trust that what the politicians say is consistent with their realities. There is a strong belief that the leaders are genuinely concerned with their welfare and not just their political careers. 

On the other hand, without integrity, the citizens of the land will develop a sense of suspiciousness towards their leaders. It is also quite challenging for them to believe the statement of those in high governance.

The common experience of politicians being the center of the jokes of many citizens during lunch breaks could indicate this lack of respect. Also, the pervasive divisiveness of political commentaries may indicate the sad state of utter lack of governmental integrity.      

Concluding Statement 

The practice of integrity is an emergency call today. More than ever, there is a significant demand for integrity’s presence.  

This article has attempted to remind that integrity has four elements: Honesty, Congruence, Undefensiveness, and Discipline.

With integrity’s presence, positive outcomes could be experienced individually and in other areas of life such as marital, familial, institutional, and governmental. In its absence, adverse effects could be felt at all levels of life’s existence. 

May the readers of this article be challenged to pause and reflect upon which areas could growth be made so that integrity will blossom. Remember, only when we have integrity will our life’s example become powerful to those we have opportunities to influence!