5 minute read

My devotional: Transition marked by integrity

Transition Marked By Integrity

By Liz Omondi | Email: timestodayke@gmail.com | Image credit: pinterest.com

Advertisement

26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.

Acts 20:26-27 NIV

Who can withstand the heat?

While certain parts of Europe are experiencing serious heatwaves, the political temperatures in many countries also have been rising over the past few months causing leaders to step down in a bid to cool temperatures.

Two weeks ago, the United Kingdom Prime Minister, Boris Johnson announced his pending resignation and will remain in office until a new party leader is elected. A few days ago Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella dissolved parliament triggering a snap election following the resignation of the country’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi. Their national election will take place in September.

Not forgetting the Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who resigned earlier this July from his sudden exile in Singapore, a day after fleeing the country he led for nearly three years. His resignation was triggered by the civilian uprising over the island nation’s economic collapse.

These resignations of political leaders in high office are a rare phenomena in Africa. Hardly do we see any leaders resign for any reason including ill health and incapacitation to serve the people.

The freezing temperatures in Nairobi are not warming up to the heated debates for elective positions in the run up to Kenya’s general elections in two weeks. Transitions are inevitable and the question begs, which of these leaders can withstand the heat on hot-button issues touching on integrity when the time comes to pass on the baton?

While we are in a season of politics, it is easier to think only about the politicians when matters integrity are discussed, but really, the question is for all of us; when the job is done and you have to move on, could you confidently say that you are innocent of any claim that may be made against you? Could you stand before God and men and declare that you have completed the task assigned with all integrity?

A simple definition is integrity by the Oxford Advanced Learner’s dictionary is, “The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.”

Considering the task God gave Paul, to preach to the Gentiles, what did he mean in his farewell speech to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:17-38 when he said,

“I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you?” Could he have been thinking of God’s Word in Ezekiel 3:18-21 where God tells Ezekiel, “When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.”

20 “Again, when a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before them, they will die. Since you did not warn them, they will die for their sin. The righteous things that person did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 21 But if you do warn the righteous person not to sin and they do not sin, they will surely live because they took warning, and you will have saved yourself.”(Ezekiel 3:18-21)

Consider Samuel the prophet, when he was transitioning and handing over leadership to King Saul, as he delivered his farewell speech he said,

“2 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. 3 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 things, I will make it right.” 4 “You have not cheated or oppressed us,” they replied. “You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.”

5 Samuel said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is witness,” they said. 1 Samuel 12:2-5

Also, as Jesus Christ was completing His mission here on earth, John records one of His prayers specifically for the disciples whom He had been mentoring for three years. He prayed,

“I have revealed You to those whom You gave me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me and they have obeyed Your word. 7 Now they know that everything You have given Me comes from You. 8 For I gave them the words You gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that you sent me… 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name You gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. John 17:6-8, 12

From these examples from the Scripture we see speeches that are peppered with integrity. I am both challenged and encouraged that in whatever space God has placed me, the tasks He has given me to do, I should I carry them out with utmost integrity because one day, when the time comes to transition, I will need to present my report to Him.

This article is from: