INTEGRITY?.. GO ON, NO ONE IS WATCHING YOU.

Integrity.

I've often heard it defined as: 'the person you are when no one is watching.'

Wikipedia defines it as:Integrity is the basing of one's actions on an internally consistent framework of principles.. Depth of principles and adherence of each level to the next are key determining factors. One is said to have integrity to the extent that everything he does and believes is based on the same core set of values. While those values may change, it is their consistency with each other and with the person's actions that determine his integrity.

This brings about my take on the steroid issue in Major League Baseball.

Last year I picked up a magazine at church; HomeLife. On the cover was a well known player and his wife. The magazine article was all about his family life and most importantly, how his Christian faith guides him in his daily activities and gives him the strength to succeed. After reading this, I held this guy in high esteem. He is standing up for his beliefs and being a witness for Christ and a role model for young men.

Then the Mitchell Report hits the media....naming names of all the known steroid users in the league and his name was near the top of the list! "Say it ain't so!!!!" My 'radar' tuned instinctively to him, waiting and watching to see how he would respond to the allegations, and hoping as a Christian that he would prove to be a man of integrity. Almost 2 months go by without a statement. Roger Clemens is plastered all over the airwaves and emphatically denies using any type of performance enhancing drug although his best friend and trainer claims in an affidavit that he injected him many times. The same trainer (Brian Macnamee) also said he injected Clemens' wife and Clemens' teammate Andy Pettitte.

Andy Pettitte. The man of integrity. Would he deny the allegations as Clemens did?, or would he tell the truth?

My faith was restored last week when Andy Pettitte delivered a 55 minute apology to the sporting world that he did use HGH (human growth hormone): a performance enhancing drug. He claims he used it in rehabilitation to get back into the game faster. He said he never used it to get an edge or to 'bulk up". He only wanted to help his elbow heal faster. He admitted that he was wrong and stood before the world to offer his repentance.

I know that many judge others by their actions. I was guilty of that. I immediately began to watch Mr. Pettitte to see that as a Christian man he would do the right thing.

We as Christians, are watched daily. We seem to be held to a higher example for those living in the world. They watch us from a distance, waiting for us to trip up, say the wrong thing or be in the wrong place. I admit that I was being 'one of those', watching to see what would happen. I was not watching to see 'IF' he would do the right thing, but 'WHEN' he would do the right thing. I knew he was a man of integrity.

While we are not to judge the salvation of another, we can judge the 'fruits' that they bear.

While Andy Pettitte may have fallen slightly ( as we all do), he has shown the world that the fruit he bears is ripe.

Pray for Godly people like Andy Pettitte, and those that surround you in your daily walk with Christ. Pray for them and hold them in high esteem, help them up when they stumble.