Before we explore #37 on my list of
70 things every man needs to know, I want to thank you for helping launch the book
What If Christianity Is True? last week. You helped make it the
#1 New Release in Apologetics and also the
#1 New Release in Christian Men’s Issues!If you still would like to become part of my book launch team, please reply “YES” to this email so I know you’re on board! It’s simple to help get the word out: Purchase a copy
here to share, read it, leave a brief Amazon review, and then give the book to someone you care about to help them place their faith in God.
Now, on to the next installment of our series—and it’s a big one: integrity. What does integrity really mean for a man today?
Former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson once said, “If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters.” That hits hard—and it should.
Let’s face it: Men face a daily barrage of temptations:
- Cut corners to close the deal.
- Check out that woman who isn’t your wife.
- “Borrow” some office supplies.
- Fudge a few numbers on expenses.
- Lie by omission.
- Click on a website you shouldn’t visit.
- Hide a little income.
- Skip out early from work.
It’s a long list and, if we’re honest, a familiar one. Most men I talk with agree that we’re living amid a widespread integrity crisis. Even things that seem harmless on the surface reveal a mindset that integrity is optional.
Here’s the deeper issue: Too many men are trying to behave their way out of a belief they’ve bought into. If I believe tithing is optional, or that a little porn isn’t a big deal, or that “white lies” don’t count, then no amount of willpower will change my actions. Because behavior follows belief. And belief lives in the heart.
What men really need isn’t behavior modification; it’s heart transformation. That’s why we start with God’s Word. The Bible doesn’t just tell us what to do; it changes why we do it. It reshapes what we love, what we value, and who we want to be.
Here’s a solid working definition for us as Christian men:
Integrity is a one-to-one correlation between my Bible, my belief, and my behavior.
If what I read in Scripture lines up with what I believe and shows up in how I live, that’s integrity.
So where do we start? First, ask yourself: Where in my life do my beliefs and behaviors not line up? Reflect on the questions below or discuss them with a trusted friend. Then ask God: “Lord, would You change my heart in that area?”
Integrity isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being aligned—and asking God to keep pulling your heart in the right direction.
For reflection and discussion:
- Where in your life do you feel the tension between your beliefs and your behaviors?
- What beliefs might be driving those behaviors? (For example, do you believe God won’t provide unless you cut corners? That “a little look” doesn’t hurt anyone? That small lies are justified if the outcome is good?) And how are those beliefs shaping your choices?
- What would full integrity look like in that area—for your heart to be transformed? What Scriptures could you start meditating on?
- What might change in your life if your Bible, your belief, and your behavior all lined up?
