It seems a like simple enough word, but what a lot of us misunderstand or may even forget is the power this word may hold for many of us. Especially when it falls under the category of "shepherding" God's people. It is a subject so often misjudged or maybe judged correctly just wrongly placed on one, if not all of those of us pursuing a Pastoral position.
More often than not I have been in a position where I tell people around me that I'm attending school to become a minister and while most of the reactions I receive are favorable there are times that the minority are not. There are many people out there that feel that a Pastor or minister cannot be trusted. And while I see there point, I don't agree with it.
I try to teach my children that integrity means everything. It can be something that holds a lot of power over your life. So that is why it is of utmost importance that you nourish it and cause it to grow. Mainly because some where, some way someone will see if you will in secret or when no one is looking hold up your end of the deal. Daniel was an excellent example of how we should be.
I think where a lot of ministers go wrong is they get out of their immediate contact and closeness with God and that is when "self" envelops you and you are no longer focused on the One you should be focusing on. Ministers need to keep at the fore front of their mind is that their bad decisions cost us--the ones coming up behind them dearly.
Because right out of the gate we are met with opposition and it takes everything we have&everything that the Holy Spirit has given us the power to achieve to be able to win these doubting people to the Lord. So we get a fight from the very beginning. Character allows the leader to do the right thing even when its the hardest to do or achieve.
Our congregation as well as others we come in contact with on a daily or even infrequent basis need to know that we can be trusted. Without keeping ourselves in check, sin tends to creep in and then we are lead down a path that is treacherous and corrupt.
