The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

(Proverbs 11:3 NIV)

A senior citizen bought a brand-new Corvette and decided to see what it could do and cruised along at 80 mph.  Looking in his rearview mirror, he saw a state trooper behind him, lights flashing and siren blaring.  He sped up to 90, then 100, before realizing how foolish it was to run.  He pulled over to await the inevitable ticket.

As the trooper walked up to the Corvette, he said, “Sir, my shift ends in 30 minutes. Today is Friday. If you can give me a reason for speeding that I’ve never heard before, I’ll let you go.”

The man thought for a moment and said, “Years ago, my wife ran off with a state trooper. I thought you were bringing her back.”

The officer chuckled and said, “Have a good day, sir.”

That story raises a good question: how often do we try to come up with clever excuses to justify our behavior? We may not be racing down the highway in a Corvette, but we find ourselves being impatient, careless with our words, or neglecting the things that really matter. And when we get caught, we try to smooth it over with a witty explanation or a convenient excuse.

Proverbs 11:3 reminds us that integrity, not excuses, should guide us. Integrity is about choosing honesty over cleverness, and responsibility over excuses. God isn’t interested in the most creative reason we can come up with for our sins or shortcomings. He’s interested in hearts that are humble enough to admit, “I was wrong.”

The good news is that when we honestly confess our sins, God forgives us.  Unlike the trooper in the story, God isn’t swayed by our excuses, but he is moved by repentance.

So the next time you’re tempted to justify yourself, remember God’s desire for integrity.  Instead of coming up with “a reason he’s never heard before,” simply come to him in honesty.  Integrity may not get you out of a speeding ticket, but it will lead you to God’s forgiveness.

Prayer: Father, help me live with honesty and integrity in every part of my life. When I’m tempted to make excuses, remind me that you desire truth.  Thank you for offering grace and forgiveness when I confess my sins.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Alan Smith
Reprinted with permission from Alan Smith’s Thought For the Day