Integrity of Heart

Integrity of Heart So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands Psalm 78 v 72 David as a shepherd led his sheep faithfully and diligently to the extent that he staked his life to save them from a lion’s jaws. This was a preparation and grooming for his leading the nation of Israel. He fed the sheep from the pastures on the hills surrounding his home but he fed Israel from the Word he received from the Lord. He was true to the Word except in the matter of his adultery with Bathsheba and her husband Uriah the Hittite. He truly repented from his heart for that fall from grace when he acted in the flesh and fell to temptation. He humbled himself before God and did not deny his sin. The Lord therefore certified that David is a man after his own heart who did His will. Integrity of heart or oneness with the heart of the Lord comes from hearing the voice of the one true Shepherd, Jesus and obeying His Word in our lives. It is reflected in all that we think,feel, speak and do. It is reflected in our relationships. It is reflected in our professional work. David desired with all his heart to please the Lord and therefore though it was his desire to build the temple of the Lord, he passed on that responsibility to his son Solomon as directed by the Spirit of the Lord. Integrity of heart requires us to discern the feelings of the Lord and to act accordingly. Once our hearts are aligned with the Lord, His Word and His will, we will have wisdom, knowledge, understanding and insight or the skills of leadership that enable us to guide others to the Lord. The Lord will use us to counsel and mentor others in His ways. Leadership that depends too much on skills or charisma or communication tends to fail. Integrity is the first attribute that should be in place. As someone said, with integrity in place, nothing else matters. Without it in place, nothing else matters. Prateep V Philip