Daily Devotional - From the Inside Out

by Robert E. Reccord
8/3/2005


Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place
PSALM 51:6


A man in Long Beach, California, went into a fast-food chicken fran-chise to buy lunch for himself and the woman with him. He took their orders, and they drove to a nearby park for a picnic. When he opened the box, he was surprised to see money instead of chicken. Apparently the manager kept the earnings in a chicken box to prevent robbery until the armored truck arrived. He had inadvertently handed the wrong box to the unsuspecting customer.
The man quickly returned his picnic basket of cash to the store manager. Elated, the manager said to him, “Stick around! I want to have the newspaper take your picture. You are the most honest guy in town!” The man refused. When the manager asked him why he wanted to avoid publicity, the man said, “Well, I am a married man, and the woman I am with is not my wife.”

Integrity is much more than superficial honesty. It’s a commitment of inward character that directs every area of our lives. It’s at the core of what God’s church is all about because it’s where Christians hold one another accountable. The Bible says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). Simply put, Christians need one another to ensure the growth and continued strength of inner character.

Often believers fail spiritually because they try to handle weak areas of their lives alone. An accountability partner will help you grow from the inside out.

SPREAD THE WORD THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Integrity is a vital character quality for the believer, and we can build it through accountability with fellow believers.

Robert E. Reccord

This devotional and others is available at Spread the Word Ministries

Robert E. Reccord's book Made to Count is available at Christian Books Online