~譚李麗梅執事
什麼是正直？正直為什麼如此重要呢？正直是指你在任何情況下也願意做正確和道德的事情。正直是一個選擇。即使這意味著你可能會遇到麻煩，仍選擇做正直事情。即使沒有人在看，也不作弊的選擇。即使你周圍的人認為這沒什麼大不了的，也選擇不看不合適的節目或視頻。即使你很想得到那份工作或升職機會，仍選擇不去撒謊。這決定是十分重要的，因為這正是上帝 「祂向你所要的」（彌迦書 6:8）。聖經告訴我們需要合乎正道、誠實和有道德，亦叫我們遵守諾言。擁有並保持正直讓我們在面對困境時能堅強面對挑戰，在受到不道德的誘惑時保持道德，在面對欺騙時保持誠實。對於信徒來說，保持我們的正直是不可缺少的——我們要完整、不分裂、廉潔、有道德品格，但最重要是我們必需與上帝保持緊密聯繫時才能做得到。
正直包含了我們的信念和行為的總和。這是一種效仿上帝般的模式，始終如一，真誠，沒有任何欺騙或偽裝。換句話說，我們對外的生活和我們的私生活應該是表裏如一。正直的人沒有什麼好隱瞞的，也沒有什麼好害怕的。正直對我們來說並不是自然而然，事實上，與我們自私、有罪的本性相當矛盾。我們需要每天刻意地去學習並努力實踐。其中一種學習方法就是通過聖經。我們需要從聖經中找出正直的教導及正直生活的榜樣加以學習。但以理正是正直生活的好榜樣（但以理書 6:3-4）。他一生服侍和榮耀上帝，建立個人正直的人生。他過著如此傑出的生活，以至於他的敵人也找不到任何可以指責他的地方。即使面對困難，甚至死亡的威脅，他也堅守自己的信念並在他的一生中一直保持著正直不妥協的心態。耶穌自己在馬太福音 7：20中教導：「憑著他們的果子就可以認出他們來。」祂沒有說，「按他們的話去」去分別出來。人生中最重要的，最真正能體現一個人性格的，不是這個人說了什麼，而是這個人每日的所作所為。耶穌所說是可信的。祂一生都面臨著巨大的壓力。祂拒絕妥協自己的正直，即使撒旦三次試探祂，向祂提供世界中各種誘惑。耶穌知道祂的力量和自由來自祂與上帝不可分割的聯繫，祂能夠大聲闡明：「撒但，退去罷！因為經上記著說：當拜主你的神，單要事奉他 。」（馬太福音 4:10）。
儘管這並不容易，上帝希望他的信徒過著正直的生活。 以上帝般的品格生活，公共場合和私下也表裏如一。活出我們的信仰 （忠於聖經教導）是很困難，一點也不容易。 選擇真實、誠實和堅定信念，永遠是一種挑戰，尤其是在一個接受並為缺乏正直而鼓掌和慶祝的世界中。 然而信徒的正直正正可以影響我們身邊的人。 但以理的信心大大加強了大流士王的信心（但以理 6:26）。 只有時間才能證明表裏如一生活能產生什麼的影響力。 你的行為匹配起你的信仰嗎？ 你的行為與你的宣言表裏相符嗎？ 願我們的信心被證明是真誠的，因為我們過著正直的生活！
正直人的純正必引導自己；奸詐人的乖僻必毀滅自己。 - 箴言 11:3
行仁義公平比獻祭更蒙耶和華悅納 。 - 箴言 21:3
人在最小的事上忠心，在大事上也忠心；在最小的事上不義，在大事上也不義。 - 路加福音 16:10
Translation:
Deaconess Michelle Tam
What is integrity? Why is it important? Integrity refers to a willingness to do what is right and moral in any situation. Integrity is a choice. It is a choice to be truthful, even if it means you may get in trouble. It is a choice not to cheat, even when no one is watching. It is a choice not to watch an inappropriate video, even if people around you think it’s no big deal. It is a choice not to lie about your accomplishments, even if you really want to get that job or promotion. It is important because it is what God has “required of us” (Micah 6:8). The Bible tells us it matters that we are moral, honest and ethical and it matters that we keep our word. Having and preserving integrity allows us to be strong when faced with challenges, to be moral when tempted with immorality, to be honest when faced with duplicity. It is essential for believers to maintain our integrity – our complete, undivided, incorruptible, moral character but it can only be done when we maintain our solid connection with God.
Integrity embodies the sum total of our beliefs and our actions. It is a God-like life of consistency and sincerity, with no deception or pretense. In other words, no discrepancy between our public life and our private life. People of integrity have nothing to hide and nothing to fear. Integrity does not come naturally to us, in fact, it contradicts our selfish, sinful nature. We need to learn it and work at it daily with intention. One way to learn is through Scripture. We need to find out what Scripture says about integrity, who lived it and how he did it. Daniel was such a man (Daniel 6:3-4). He devoted his entire life to serving and honoring God and building personal integrity. He lived such a distinguished life that his enemies could not find anything to fault him with. He held fast to his beliefs even in the face of certain death and maintained this uncompromising mindset all the days of his life. Jesus Himself taught in Matt 7:20 “by their fruits you will recognize them”. He did not say, “by their words.” What really matters in life, what really shows the character of a person, is not what he says but what he does day in and day out. Jesus knew what he was talking about. He was faced with tremendous pressures throughout his life. He refused to compromise his integrity, even when Satan, tempting him three times, offered him the world. Knowing his strength and freedom came from his undivided connection with God, Jesus was able to affirm, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: worship the Lord your God and serve him only” (Matt 4:10).
God desires His followers to live with integrity, though it will not be easy. Living with God-like character, being the same person in private and in public, and living out our faith – being true to biblical teaching – is hard and uncomfortable. Choosing to be real, honest and standing with convictions will always be a challenge in a world that accepts and at times applauds and celebrates the lack of it. Yet integrity impacts and influences those around us. Daniel’s faith strengthened the faith of King Darius (Daniel 6:26). Only time will tell the impact our walking matching our talking will have. Will your behavior match your beliefs? Will your character correspond with your confession? May our faith be proven to be genuine as we live lives of integrity!
The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. Proverbs 11:3
To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. Proverbs 21:3
Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. Luke 16:10