- This is part of a leadership series on the theme of integrity -

After surveying thousands of people around the world and performing more than 400 written case studies, James Kouzes and Barry Posner identified those characteristics most desired in a leader.  In virtually every survey, honesty or integrity was identified more frequently than any other trait.[1]

That makes sense, doesn’t it?  If people are going to follow someone, whether into battle or in business or ministry, they want assurance that their leader can be trusted.  They want to know that he or she will keep promises and follow through with commitments.

The Integrity of Samuel

In light of this research, Israel’s high regard for Samuel comes as no surprise.  Samuel was a man who exuded integrity.  Nowhere is this best illustrated than in 1 Samuel 12:1-4:

Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you.  Now you have a king as your leader.  As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you.  I have been your leader from my youth until this day.  Here I stand.  Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed.  Whose ox have I taken?  Whose donkey have I taken?  Whom have I cheated?  Whom have I oppressed?  From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes?  If I have done any of these, I will make it right.”

“You have not cheated or oppressed us,” they replied.  “You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.”

During his farewell speech, after having led Israel for decades, Samuel promised to repay anything he had unjustly taken from anyone.  What a promise!  Even more impressive was the people’s response. Not one person rose up to make a claim against Samuel.

Samuel’s honesty and personal integrity permeated every area of his life.  These two characteristics directed how he regarded his possessions, his business dealings and his treatment of those who were weaker than himself.  Samuel held himself accountable to the people he led.  He opened himself up to the scrutiny of everyone with whom he had ever had dealings.  As a result of this practice, Samuel’s leadership has become legendary as this story has been told and retold throughout the centuries.

People want to know that their leader can be trusted.  They want to know that leaders will keep promises and follow through on commitments.  Promises and commitments are significant, though, in our day of Machiavellian ethics, it seems that they have become optional.  We often seem more concerned with convenience and performance.  We give lip-service to the importance of character, but we have the idea that when things get tough, the rules can be changed and commitments and covenants may be discarded at will.

But the Bible makes clear just how important our covenants are.  Throughout the Scriptures, God focuses on the fact that he is a God who makes and keeps his covenants, that he can be trusted (1 Chronicles 16:15; Psalm 105:8).  God can be trusted because he is trustworthy.  That’s the point: it always comes down to the issue of character, not just words.  Biblical integrity is not just doing the right thing; it’s a matter of having the right heart and allowing the person you are on the inside to match the person you are on the outside.  This is how God is.  This is how his people should be.

Perhaps a good word to think of is “consistency.”   There must be consistency between what is inside and what is outside.  God is totally consistent.  His actions and behaviors always match his character and nature.  And his goal for us is nothing less.  Christ’s objective for his disciples is to make us disciplined people.  In the words of John Ortberg, “Disciplined people can do the right thing at the right time in the right way for the right reason.”  Just like God.