Living a life of integrity means that we live truthfully. What we believe is reflected in who we are: how we think, act, and interact.
The Biblical account of Abraham, the father of the faithful, is a lesson in integrity. When Abraham and his nephew Lot left Egypt and returned to the land of Bethel, they had so many flocks, herds, and tents that it became difficult for their families to continue to live together.1 So Abraham invited Lot to look over the land and take whichever half he wanted. Lot chose the fertile eastern plains, leaving Abraham to settle the arid and less desirable land.2
Abraham could have reneged on his offer, but he didn’t. He could have held a grudge or reprimanded Lot for his selfish choice. Instead, he demonstrated “integrity of
. . . heart.”3 He lived peaceably beside Lot for many years and even rescued him, his land, and possessions from marauding kings.4
Today we need that kind of integrity more than ever. Living truthfully invites deep trust, abiding love, and inner peace. It fuses right actions with pure motives. When we have integrity of heart, not only do we choose the right, but we choose it for the right reasons. We act out of love rather than outward appearance. We show our family the same courtesies and respect we show others. We uphold sacred truths regardless of setting or circumstance.
That is not to say we won’t make mistakes and fall short. We all do. But people with integrity know that life is a process of growth. They find the humility to change, because they “[love] that which is right.”5 They strive with all their hearts to learn from shortcomings, ask forgiveness, and cleave to truth eternal, truth divine.
Program #3920
1. See Genesis 13:5–6.
2. See Genesis 13:7–11.
3. Doctrine and Covenants 124:15.
4. See Genesis 14:16.
5. Doctrine and Covenants 124:15.