In 1912 when the Titanic sailed, everybody called it unsinkable. It was not considered unsinkable because of it’s size, but because it was using a new design and technology. The new design was to build the hull of the ship and divide it into compartments, rather than it being just one unified hull. The idea was that if a few of the compartments were damaged, or even flooded, the ship would still be able to float. But as we all now, the Titanic sank and 1,522 people lost their lives. When the integrity of the hull was compromised, the ship was doomed to sink.
I’ve noticed a lot of people make the same mistake the Titanic made. How? By trying to compartmentalize our lives into various segments. This is my work life. This is my home life. This is my church life. This is my social life. We do this as if all these things are completely unrelated to each other.
This is a tragedy. Your heart, the core of who you are impacts every area of your life. If you have a strong relationship with Jesus Christ it will make a difference in all aspects of your life. If you have a weak or casual relationship, or only in an emergency relationship with Jesus, you will see the effects in all areas of your life as well.
The problem with the Titanic was as the various compartments were compromised, and they filled with water, the integrity of the hull could no longer take the pressure and it broke apart.
Compromise brings pressure. Think about it. In any area of your life where we have compromised the pressure mounts. The more compromise, the more pressure, eventually there is a collapse. Integrity matters.
What is integrity? Webster - “Integrity is the quality or state of being complete or undivided, or incorruptible.”
There is a popular phrase in our society that says, “What I do in my private life is my business and it has no effect on my public life.” I think we all know this is not true.
What’s in the heart eventually finds it’s way into our choices and behavior.
Scripture: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23)
“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.” (Proverbs 10:9)
Integrity is a matter of the heart. The inner life of the believer is truly important. What we think about and allow our heart to rest on is based on a choice. You may not be able to control everything you see in the course of a day. You may not avoid every passing thought or feeling, but you do decide where your heart and mind will rest.
The two most important questions of your life:
- Do I trust God - determines eternity
- Can God trust me - determines the kind of life you will live
Are you trustworthy? Are you a person of integrity?
We can be people of integrity because, Jesus lived with integrity. He is our supreme example.
If you have seen the photos of the Titanic, you know it has deteriorated from sitting underwater for so many years. Since 1912 people have talked about the Titanic in the past tense. We talk about what once was. How it used to be.
This is what happens when you lose your integrity and everything falls apart. People talk about what once was…the marriage I used to have, the family I used to have, or the ministry I used to have. While our God is about restoration, the process can be painful, and it’s better to keep our integrity than to have to restore it.
We guard our integrity by protecting our heart, by being faithful to our families, and by keeping our promises.
If you feel as if you can’t do it, for some reason you can’t live with integrity, I have good news for you.
2 Peter 1:3 - “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly li