A
righteous man who walks in his integrity—
How blessed are his sons after him.
How blessed are his sons after him.
Proverbs 20:7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Integrity has to do
with how strong or stable a person’s character is, including being honest
and having strong moral principles. It is the depth of a person’s convictions
by which they live. A righteous man is one who lives uprightly, justly,
obedient to God and His Word. Pairing these two traits, this man is not only a
good law-abiding citizen but he also is not wavered by those around him. His obedience
to God is not dependent on the company he keeps, or whether he is alone, he
lives a righteous life every moment he breathes. Integrity and righteousness
are a way of life for him and he does not stray from it. We have talked before
of the blessings from living such a life, but this verse shows that we are not
the only ones to receive that blessing. Our children also benefit from the way
we choose to live. They do not bear the shame and misfortune of a parent who
suffers the consequences of poor choices and wrong actions. They are not
influenced by a lifestyle that chooses sin and pleasure above righteousness and
godliness. Rather they are given a good example that they will likely follow
into their adult life. Children often chafe at the rules and “stiff” upbringing
of a righteous parent, but as Proverbs says earlier, later in life they will
not stray from the teaching they have received. Being parents of righteousness and
integrity blesses our children by giving them a good home life and upbringing, and also by giving them a firm foundation and straight way to follow in their
own lives. Walk in integrity and bless your family!
No comments:
Post a Comment