"The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle, that is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable."
–Brennan Manning
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will [a]spit you out of My mouth. a=Lit. “vomit”
-Rev. 3:15-16
Integrity
So, I know what you are thinking…How in the world are Integrity and Hugh Hefner and Revelation related? Well, simply put, I believe Hugh Hefner is a man of integrity….no, you are not going crazy…I just wrote that. I can say that because here is how I believe integrity is defined…
Integrity: Adherence to one singular moral compass whose true north does not fluctuate when circumstances such as socioeconomic status, friends, and environment do themselves change.
In other words…you are who you are… no matter where you are… or with whom you are… or what others believe you are or what you should be. You are solid, your beliefs do not wax and wane with public opinion nor peer pressure.
Hugh Hefner
Make no mistake, I do not agree with Hugh’s moral compass, and I believe his hedonistic, fleshly pursuits have left him always wanting more…but the man has made no bones about who he is or what he likes…and he is the same on Sunday morning as he is on Saturday night.
I wonder if the same could be said of us. Are we the same around all our groups of friends? Do people really know what drives us? What is in our hearts, our thoughts, our deepest desires?
The Honest Effect
You see, God wants us to be real, authentic and honest with Him… ourselves… and those around us. He doesn’t want us to pretend to want the same things He wants…He wants us to actually want them. And when we begin to get radically honest with ourselves and those around us…our lives typically get turned upside down.
For me, I must humbly admit I am not there yet. I have given in to the Bible-Belt mentality of just pretending I am this great Christian who has it all figured out…when the truth is I am nowhere near that. Christ seeks to change my heart, but I must humbly allow Him to do so.
I still struggle with many things, including my flesh as well as spiritual warfare. I have gotten better, and I still seek to make the desires of His heart, my heart…but until that time I have made a pledge to be honest with those around me.
Honest about my struggles with imperfection, temptation, and failure. Honest about victories, my growth, and His love. Honest about my doubts, my fears, and my questions. Honest with friends, honest with my wife, honest with myself, and honest with Him.
Anything….anything but lukewarm. Let me be a man of true integrity.
