CRISIS OF INTEGRITY

Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter – Isaiah 59:14

There is an alarming crisis of integrity in today’s world, and across generations. This social and spiritual emergency does not exempt any gender, age bracket, or social class. All over the globe, there is the demise of integrity across nations and the entire range of cultures. What with deceptive leaders, corrupt judges, lying legislators, cheating academics, fraudulent CEOs, and manipulative ministers. In many cases, even the youth – potential future leaders – are schooling themselves in deception. Character seems to be counting less. Principles bow to political correctness. Values are being eroded blatantly and radically.

Truth and Integrity are proving elusive for many in leadership. At home, at work, and in business and economic domains, majority of people tell lies conveniently and regularly; they deceive with ease. And it matters least to whom: people lie to parents, spouses, friends, colleagues, and bosses. It is the norm in certain quarters for workers to regularly call in sick when they are perfectly well. Some pastors exaggerate, try to embellish the facts or even lie to their congregants! We are in a generation when people will cheaply sacrifice integrity and throw uprightness in the refuse bin if the prize was right.

In virtually all the spheres of society – politics, economics, education, commerce, family, entertainment, and ecclesia – there is ethical decline to almost epidemic dimensions. The entire fabric of humanity seems to be wallowing in iniquity. That was the picture in Isaiah 59, but Jehovah did not give up; He determined to preserve a repentant and redeemed ‘remnant’ for Himself. Verse 16 says: “He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him.”

Isaiah 59: 20 also says: “The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob, says the LORD.” This means that Zion – the Church – has a vital part to play in this assignment of preserving Integrity or restoring uprightness. We are the “salt of the earth” – God’s Agents of Preservation and Sweetness. We are the “light of the world” – His Channel of Illumination, Revelation, and Liberation. Alas, there appears to be no difference between church and world. Beloved, you and I can choose to belong to the repentant and upright Remnant, as we prepare to meet the King!