Proverbs 20:7

Pro 20:7  The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him

Can we take just a moment and look at this?

What is INTEGRITY? 

~INTEGRITY~

I always speak the truth. What I promise is what I deliver. I endever to only ever make agreements with myself and others that I can  and am willing and intending to keep. I communicate potential broken agreements at the first opportunity and I clear up all broken agreements immediately

This little bit is strait from Forbes.com

A word of advice to those who are striving for a reputation of integrity: Avoid those who are not trustworthy. Do not do business with them. Do not associate with them. Do not make excuses for them.  Do not allow yourself to get enticed into believing that “while they may be dishonest with others, they would never be dishonest with me.” If someone is dishonest in any aspect of his life you can be guaranteed that he will be dishonest in many aspects of his life. You cannot dismiss even those little acts of dishonesty, such as the person who takes two newspapers from the stand when they paid for only one. After all, if a person cannot be trusted in the simplest matters of honesty then how can they possibly be trusted to uphold lengthy and complex business contracts?

It is important to realize that others pay attention to those you have chosen to associate with, and they will inevitably judge your character by the character of your friends. Why is that?  It is best explained by a quote my father often says when he is reminding me to be careful of the company I am keeping:  “When you lie down with dogs you get fleas.” 

How could a CHILD.. 

Be blessed by his Parents being people of Integrity?

Well let's think about this.. If a child grew up in a home where INTEGRITY.. Was modeled.. would you think he would be the kind of child to steal? Probably not.. and if he did.. he'd be the child who his parents marched back into the store and into the manager's office! He'd learn his lessons.. sometimes from seeing what mommy and daddy did.. but also from them holding him accountable. 

How can you say that with so much assurance?

Well have you ever noticed that it is the thing you hold most dear  that they try to share.. So if Integrity is important.. you will want it to be taught.. And you can't have integrity by taking short cuts, by allowing injustices.. 

EX: Modern culture tells us that little Johnny couldn't deal with his self esteem being shattered by being held accountable for his bad grades.. BUT If mommy and daddy both hold personal integrity as a value.. They are going to go have a  talk with little Johnny about how his procrastination and not coming home and getting his school work done right away.. hampers his ability to get good grades.. And how that is his "job" 

So he would be taught work ethics, he would be taught the value of NOT PROCRASTINATING.. He would be taught that he is to respect his teachers instructions.. He would also be assuredly grounded for his bad behavior.. Until his grades came back up..

Can you think of how this would improve the child's future?

Now lets look at what our culture really is teaching:

If it feels good do it.. Regardless of the cost to you or others..

That surely isn't integrity!

Whatever you want.. you can have it.. buy it on credit... And if you can't pay it back.. GO BANKRUPT!

That surely isn't integrity!

I guess I am looking at the current trend in my nation.. and I fear for the future generation.. 

And I see here in God's word that.. 

OUR ACTIONS  DIRECTLY IMPACT OUR CHILDREN!

To me that scares me!

Are your children going to suffer from what your teaching them..?

I don't want that for my kids.. I want my children to be blessed after me!