www.nextwaveonline.com Daily Recharge Mal Fletcher Integrity for God's Sake 25 April 2024 Nehemiah 5:9-11 'Shouldn't you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let the exacting of [interest] stop! Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the [interest] you are charging them...' (NIV) Nehemiah was an outstanding leader. In one way or another we are all leaders at some level. You may be a leader in your home, or in business, or in your college, or in the church. Whatever you do, there will be someone, somewhere who is watching you and, for good or bad, following your example. Nehemiah understood that enjoying God's favour and the benefits it brings relies on walking in his truth. One of the great qualities of fine leaders is integrity. Leaders cannot function unless people trust them. Good leaders earn people's trust by acting in a way that is consistent with their values and their words. They live as they speak; they deliver what they promise. Everybody understands the importance of integrity for the protection of our own reputations. But Nehemiah understood something more: that we should show integrity not first for the sake of our own reputation, but for the honour of the Lord's name. We shouldn't aim to live with integrity primarily because it brings us gain, but because we don't want to bring reproach on God's name. We don't want to provide our enemies with reasons to gloat over their superiority, or to preach about the emptiness of our faith. If we live to honour God's name, he will stand up for our name. He will guard and protect our reputation, and restore it by his great power even if others have tried to tear it down. He will declare the rightness of our cause. Prayer: 'Lord, please help me to live with integrity, so that I bring honour on your name. I know that if I protect your reputation, you will look after mine!' © Mal Fletcher 2003-2004 © 2024 Next Wave International™ www.nextwaveonline.com