Integrity in Adversity and Prosperity

The net is again abuzzed with the latest talk on the salary of New Creation Church's top man, Senior Pastor Joseph Prince. Judging from the hot discussion on both end of the continuum, one has to wonder whether this is doing a whole lot of good to our effort to promote christianity in Singapore.

If you are thinking that I am going to throw in my 2 cents worth of opinion into the debate....I am sorry to disappoint you.

Rather, I like to share something that I have learned in my devotion from Charles Swindol:

Psalm 78:70-72 (King James Version)

70 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
71 From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

Both adversity and prosperity confront our equilibrium, but prosperity is perhaps the more challenging test. David was a nobody but God took him and make him King. God found in David the humility of a servant, the heart of a shepherd, and the hands of skill. At his fingertips were a vast treasury, unlimited privileges, and enormous power.


How did he handle this prosperity?


He shepherded the nation "according to the integrity of his heart." (Vs 72) In spite of his limitations and imperfections, he was one of the few who passed the test of prosperity.


When God prospers you, are you able to stand the integrity test? How do we stay in balance when we are up there, financially sound? Integrity means being trustworthy with what you said, morally pure in your relationships, no faking it because you are now a big shot or twisting the truth to make a point....

Every believer is accountable to God. It is when we are up there in the limelight that our every actions are under scrutiny by all. Your integrity will be the key to whether you pass the prosperity test or not....Let's pray that God will create in us a heart that is like David's....