Posted on 10/20/2019 7:26:05 AM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress
“The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him” (Proverbs 20:7).
He has a godly walk. How does he walk? In his integrity. That is wholeness. A man with integrity is an individual that is physically sound, and spiritually whole. Integrity is moral soundness. The best way to put it is that it is the kind of character that is incorruptible. The Devil can tempt that character, but because his ways are so deeply ingrained, and so well planned within him, that it is an easy thing for him to say, “Nope!”
“A just man walketh in his integrity,” not his own desires. If he walked in his desires, he’ll spend the rest of his life fulfilling his own wishes and wants and not the will of God for his life.
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Galatians 5:16-17).
That is what is wrong with American young people. The way of righteousness is vague to them, so that when they are tempted with evil, it is so easy for them to yield, and so hard for them to resist it. Television programs have filled them with so much situational ethics that they are convinced that the ends justify the means in every case. They have no guidance, they have no training in discipline like a soldier, so, they reflexively defend themselves against it.
A soldier is taught to defend himself; he is taught to recognize the enemy or a dangerous situation and react to it. The sentry will call out, “Identify yourself! Friend or foe!” Pilots are taught to identify the enemy just by the shape of the fuselage, because they rarely get close enough to it to see the hammer and sickle on it. With their training, they are prepared not to be drawn into a situation where they are vulnerable.
When a child is properly trained, he is taught to stay away from things that are wrong, and you repeat the lessons over and over and over again until they are second nature. Then, when they are faced with choices the chances are much greater that they will choose the right over the wrong. Even when they yield to temptation, they will know that they have done wrong and will have the tools to correct the problem. God will work on them, and their character will grow. Some people have no character whatsoever, so they do not have an anchor for when the storms of temptation come—and their vessel is overwhelmed.
When a man consistently walks in his own integrity, he establishes a solid example for his children, and as a result, “his children are blessed after him.”
Let’s read a chapter of Proverbs a day and see what God might have for us. As the Lord leads, share with us what God has shown you in a special way and by His grace let us build up a devotional repository. Let’s keep our knives and forks handy for some daily bread!
If anyone would like to be added to the ping list, please let me know either by post or by p.m.
So true about the TV programs. I would include practically all media...movies, music, magazines, video games. So much is totally opposite of what God says is right. The world and its media constantly promote the wrong as being normal and “cool.”
Children and young people definitely need the foundation of God’s Word and the salvation of Jesus to be able to discern right from wrong. And of course, adults need it also!
Thank you for your insights. I couldn’t agree more.
Thank you for this timely verse. Just today I was with a guy that said the most important thing we can do for our troubled children is to be Holy. (I thought he was going to say love them.)
But to be holy, so that we are in touch with the Holy Spirit so that He can guide us as we help guide our teen and adult children. Be in step with God by reading the Bible, prayer, worship, community. And then we can guide them by both word and deed.
So true. When we are walking with the Spirit we give our children the example to follow. Our kids learn much more “caught” than “taught.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.