Monday, May 16, 2005

Big Chunks of Deep Thunks

Integrity has been on my mind a lot lately. More than any other attributes a person can have, I respect integrity the most. Integrity is one of those adjectives that you know what it means, but it's hard to define once you get down to it.

Honesty, trustworthy, consistent, wisdom, these are only a few of the words we would use to begin defining integrity. To me integrity consists of all of them....and more. All of these attributes are great....combined they become integrity, which is greatness. It's possible to have one or more of these attributes, yet not have integrity. On the flip side though, without all of these attributes you can't have integrity. In baking you need the combination of many ingredients to have a successful final product. Bread requires flour, without flour there's no bread. Without honesty there's no integrity. It's possible to be an honest person and not have integrity.

An honest person can lack trustworthiness, consistency & wisdom. Therefore, they are an honest person, not a person of integrity. Can someone become a person of integrity? Only if they commit themselves to the process. There isn't a set-in-stone-foolproof-plan towards gaining integrity. Each individual begins the process carrying with them their personalized luggage. In one bag there may be the need to gossip....telling everyone one else's story because they are so insecure about their own. In another bag there may be the unwillingness to learn from our mistakes & listen to the wisdom of others. The first step towards wisdom is the willingness to listen to the wisdom of others. Keeping those golden kernals that enhance our lives and tossing the chaff that doesn't apply to our lives, at this time. It's in that discernment that we begin our journey towards wisdom.

After honestly identifying our luggage for what it is, we can begin taking 1/2 steps towards change. Small adjustments result in big changes. For this moment, the gossiper may choose not to share the juicy tidbit that is right there on the tip of their tongue. The person lacking wisdom may choose, for this moment, to not discard words of advice. To mull them over in their mind....discerning what may apply to their life and what doesn't. Small adjustments towards big changes.

Before any small adjustments can be made we must will ourselves to unpack our bags. Taking a brutally honest look at what we are lugging around on our backs. Without identifying each and every item, we cannot achieve integrity. Those small insignificant items are hindering our journey. They are chains holding us back from becoming a person of integrity. Before we can take even a 1/2 step, we must identify our chains and commit ourselves to the process of becoming free.

I've got a lot to learn on this journey towards integrity.....I'll share my insights as I travel onward.
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I'm older than Rolling Stone magazine, younger than color television, bigger than a Xbox, smaller than a Winnebago, taller than a goat, shorter than a horse, wider than a parking meter, "narrower" than The Space Needle, serious as a heart attack, sillier than the tickles, smarter than the average bear, dumber than my Mom, prettier than dirt, "uglier" than a sunset, anal as an accountant, laid-back as a slug, darker than white chocolate, lighter than butterscotch pudding, louder than a whisper, "quieter" than a fog horn
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