Go tell the Spartans

Posted by Wayne (Melbourne, Australia) on 26 January 2007 in Cityscape & Urban and Portfolio.

Go tell the Spartans,
Passerby,
That here, obedient to their laws,
We lie.
- Simonides -
Epitaph for the Spartans who fell at Thermopylae
Greek poet (556 BC - 468 BC)

I was doing my devotion today and in my reading the issue of integrity came up. In Romans 2:1-16, the Bible talks about how in each and every one of our hearts, we know the difference between right and wrong. Ignorance of the law is no legal defense to breaches of the law. So what it comes down to is integrity. Integrity is not about knowing the right thing to do...but its doing the right thing. That moral soundness and courage to abide in His Word and His laws.

God is a God who leads by example (Mark 10:42-45). He is also a God who keeps His word (a God of Integrity)…He cannot allow our sins to go unpunished and yet because of His love for us, He sends His only Son to take our punishment (Mark 10:45). He has called us to follow his examples and keep his ways. To be his light in a world that has sinned and turned from his ways. He has commanded us to be perfect as He is perfect (Matthew 5:48). We are therefore called to be men and women of integrity. We are called to be those men and women because we cannot help others without first helping ourselves; we cannot be His hands and feet, without first being pure and above reproach. When we help others, we are already ‘judging’ their situation as one that warrants our help. We need to ensure that we are above reproach, to see ‘well enough’, to be able to help someone else pull that speck out their eye (Luke 6:41-42). Otherwise, we are only serving for our own glory and not His glory [cf Romans 2:7].

How do we achieve this integrity; this moral purity? How do we know what it is? Easy. He’s already written it into each and every one of our hearts. He’s given us the moral instructions to living within our hearts and in His Word. Integrity/Purity is not about knowing what’s wrong and what’s right, its about making the conscious choice to obey His ways and to follow through in obedience with the laws He’s set down.(Romans 2:13). In doing so, we are made right with him (Romans 2:13) and we can help others who’ve fallen into ditches, without falling into them ourselves (Luke 6:39).

Here’s a side story to illustrate what integrity is and why its so important:
It’s the Greek Olympics in Ancient Greece and the stadium is packed. All the citizens from the different cities of Greece are seated in different sections. An old man hobbles along to the sections looking for a seat. He goes to the Athenians…who pretend to not notice him and finally after his repeated requests for a seat, they heckle him away from their section. The old man goes round to the other sections (cities) and the same thing happens. He finally comes to the Spartan section (City of Sparta) and to the last man, they as one stand up and offer their seats to the old man. The old man turns around to the rest of the stadium and in a loud voice proclaims, “All citizens of Greece know the Law but only do the Spartans keep it!”

Most right choices are never easy choices to make. Shrine of Rememberance is a war memorial in Melbourne commemorating the war dead from WW1 & 2. They, like so many other who've fallen in combat and in the line of duty knew their choice...their actions by just being on the battlefield, a manifestation of that choice. I'm not looking to glorify war or its brutality but I treasure my time in the army and looking back I am grateful for His providence in my life and for making me understand and appreciate the value of integrity. Of not only knowing the right thing to do...but having the moral courage to follow through. I'm not perfect =) but day by day I will strive to keep His word and seek His face.

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