Integrity - What you do...anonymously on the Internet.

Integrity - What you do in the dark when no one is looking. 

At least that is what I was taught when I was younger.  But the truth is, I didn't spend much time in the dark unless I was sleeping.  And while I knew what integrity meant, I think a better definition would have been:  Integrity: What you think inside your head by yourself.  Because, lets face it, all actions begin with a thought.  Wrong thoughts lead to wrong actions.  And there is a whole lot of wrong thinking out in the world.  Just go read what people post anonymously on the Internet and you'll see thoughts laid bare for the whole world to see.

How many stories have we read about cyber bullying and threats on twitter made specifically towards women concerning rape and worse?  Recently, some of these people have been uncovered and subsequently held responsible. (Not sure what I'm referring to?  You can read more here: http://www.today.com/parents/mlb-great-curt-schilling-defends-his-daughter-against-vulgar-twitter-2D80526210) But as I think about how this relates to parenting, I am reminded that it isn't enough to teach our children that integrity is all about actions, because it isn't.  It isn't really about showing respect on the Internet either.  It is about having the discipline to do what is right, even inside your head where only you and God are privy to information.  That is integrity - embracing correct thinking, kicking out wrong thoughts, and determining to honor God even though only God and you will know.  I want to raise children who have that kind of integrity.

2 Corinthians 10:5  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Underwear on the Kitchen Floor

After breakfast this morning, I was cleaning up and discovered that one of the boys had left their underwear under the table.  WHAT???  How in the world did underwear end up on the kitchen floor?  I'm pretty sure no one got changed in the kitchen this morning, and nearly all of the laundry is clean and put away (which if I'm honest, is unusual).  I thought maybe I should investigate further, so I asked all the boys if they had underwear on.  They did.  Whew!  But after further contemplation, I decided I really did not want to uncover the path the underwear took to arrive unknowingly at our feet under the kitchen table.  How embarrassing to have (probably dirty) underwear on the kitchen floor.  I'm glad we didn't have company this morning!

But what if we did have company and someone saw that underwear, what would they think?  Would they judge me as a poor mother for not monitoring the paths of underwear in this house?  Would they come to conclusions about my children being immodest?  Would they compare the state of their house with the state of my house and decide that because they had no underwear on the floor that they were superior to me?  Yes.  There are many people who would arrive at just such conclusions.  But they would all be wrong.  You see, we all have underwear on our kitchen floors.  Our lives are not completely pretty and put together.  Even people who put on airs have very serious flaws that they try to hide.  I have found in life that those people who try to judge the most are exactly the people who have the most serious flaws.  Their desire to be better than everyone else is a dead give away that their hearts are dirty and in need of a good scrub.

So the next time someone puts you down or sends a judgmental look your way, remember, we all have dirty underwear on our kitchen floors.  And their attitude toward you is a reflection of their heart, not yours.  Striving to follow God in all that you do is what matters most.  Setting a godly example to a lost world does not require you to be perfect.  Instead, it requires your heart to be devoted to God, always striving to do what is right, but acknowledging that on our own we fail and fall short.

Yes, I had dirty underwear on my kitchen floor this morning.  Gross.  I picked it up and washed it.  Thank you God, for giving me a washing machine.  I pray that You too will scrub my heart whenever it gets dirty.

Matthew 7:1-5