Does the Outside Match What’s Inside?
By Rick Warren

“So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist.” Ephesians 6:14 (GNT)

Integrity matters. The Bible says we’re in a war “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world” (Ephesians 6:12 NIV). And we can’t battle those spiritual forces that threaten to derail our lives if we’re not living with integrity.

Essentially, we’re committed to taking the truth of God’s Word and applying it to all areas of our lives, including our moral, financial, and relational lives.

It’s why Paul tells us we need to put on the belt of truth before we go into the spiritual battles that are all around us. He says, “So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist” (Ephesians 6:14 GNT).

The belt of truth holds up everything. Without truth, your life will fall apart, and spiritual darkness will take over.

We put on our belt of truth by living with integrity. Integrity comes from the word “integer,” which means “unit of one.” Your life of integrity isn’t the pieces of the pie. It’s being the whole pie.

To live a life of integrity, you don’t just know the truth. You live it out. Like your belt, integrity gives you stability. It holds you together through tough times. It gives you strength.

Of course, living with integrity doesn’t mean always doing what’s right. If perfection were the standard for integrity, no one would have it. We all stumble at times. 

To live with integrity, let people see on the outside what’s going on inside. It means what you see is what you get.

Hypocrisy is the great enemy of integrity. We practice hypocrisy when we know the truth and don’t do it. It’s when what we say isn’t the same as what we do.

And it’s dangerous. A lack of integrity in any area of your life will leave you vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. In fact, the moment you start segmenting your life into different pieces—your church life, family life, work life, etc.—you’ve lost your integrity. You’re not living the same in all areas of your life.

Does life seem overwhelming? Do you feel like darkness is winning the battle in your life? It always will if you’re living a double life.

Check your integrity. Put on the belt of truth so you can do what God’s Word teaches in all areas of your life, not just where and when it is most convenient.

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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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