You have been unfairly treated; you experience the pain of an important yet unmet expectation; a serious offense has been done to one family member by another; an unethical assignment is given to you by your boss…the list could go on and on. All of these situations are dilemmas demanding a decision. What should you do? How should you respond?
Sometimes our responses are knee jerk reactions, as we act on our immediate impulse. Other times we may agonize over the emotions and the direction we should take. Unfortunately, these are experiences everyone will have, at one time or another. When faced with some of these difficult circumstances some close friends and I would encourage each other by saying, “Let’s take the high road”. You have perhaps seen the slogan, “take the high road, it is less crowded”. This implies that the high road is the one less traveled, because it involves tougher choices. Perhaps that is true, as many may not care to reflect on the bigger picture of character and integrity.
In a world where life can be confusing, seek wisdom from the book of Proverbs in the Bible. Proverbs 2: 6 & 7, “For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity.” Proverbs 11:3a “The integrity of the upright guides them…” (ESV)
Integrity is a quality that needs to be learned. For example, being honest in the small things, enables you to be honest in the bigger issues, when it may not be as easy. It can be learned by reading about people whose lives have demonstrated this, and by putting yourself in contact with those who think as you do, and who will help hold you accountable. I know these thoughts and concepts aren’t new, but I’ve been reminded of how important it is to come back to these basics. The quality and the path that our lives will take, depend on the choices we make along the way. May we all be inspired to walk the high road of integrity!