Daily Jewel

By Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK

“Staying in Tune”
“…Whoever walks in integrity walks securely…” – Proverbs 10:9 (NIV)

The word "integrity" stems from the Latin adjective integer (whole, complete). In this context, integrity is the inner sense of "wholeness" deriving from qualities such as honesty and consistency of character. As such, one may judge that others "have integrity" to the extent that they act according to the values, beliefs and principles they claim to hold. Integrity can also describe the strength of one’s resolve or character—especially under duress. Allow me to illustrate.
For those who are unaware I am a guitar player. Playing the guitar is a passion and often a release. I started playing in Junior High and it has followed me through my life. When I was a freshman in college I found and purchased a Yamaha Twelve String. It became my prize possession and for a number of years I used it for many purposes. For two years while in college I was in a traveling public relations group and my guitar was used often. I realized early in my ministry that it would be a great tool as well—especially when the church pianist could not be there and the guitar was the only instrument available. Then one day the unthinkable happened. We were at our district children’s camp and as I had done for the past four years my guitar followed me. At the end of the week we were packing up the kids and our belongings. We had two vans with me driving one and my wife driving the other. I had put the guitar in back of one of the vans but it was before we had some of the kids belongings packed so I was instructed to set it next to the van. For some unexplained reason the guitar was left on the ground and after we had traveled about 40 miles from the camp I was informed by my wife that while she was pulling out she RAN OVER my guitar. When we got home the impact of what had happened devastated me! My beloved guitar had been crushed—or so it seems.
It was broken at the top of neck just above the tuners. It was indeed broken but at least repairable. There was a man in the church who was an excellent wood-worker and he was able to patch the neck together and by all appearances I had my guitar back. At least for a while. Because it was (and I speak of it in the past tense) a 12-String, the increased tension of the strings made it too much for it to maintain its integrity. Meaning...it would not stay in tune. I eventually had to do the unthinkable and throw my beloved guitar away. Sigh!
I hope that within this elongated story you caught the analogy—integrity is all about strength. Strength of character and value. And a person of integrity walks “in tune” with the Lord. In fact they walk together because they are in tune with each other.
There are two things that can breach that integrity: Stress being one. Stress that is caused by attempting to be and do more than we were meant to do. Twelve-string guitars can handle a great amount of stress because they were designed that way. But time and continued use can lead the neck to warp and when that occurs—it is nearly impossible for the guitar to stay in tune. Another element that can breach one’s integrity is to take away one’s resolve. And that, ladies and gentlemen is exactly what the enemy wants to do—remove your resolve to live in tune with Jesus. He will try to break you, pressure you, until the only option (you think) is to throw it all away. And that is never the answer.
A couple of years after I put my guitar to rest a man in the church I was the pastor of at the time brought to me one day a practically brand new 12-String Alvarez Guitar. It was given to him some years before but he never played it and he presented to me as a gift. That was in 1996 and that guitar is still in use today. God knew how important that was in my life and paved the way for the music to play again!
Walk in integrity! Stay strong! And when traveling, make sure all luggage gets in the vehicle before traveling!
Pastor J. T. Carnell