God is always watching what we do. More importantly, though, He considers why we do what we do. He looks at what underpins our decisions, choices, plans and actions. He looks at the motivations of our heart. What does He see?
RELEVANCE
Every industry has some sort of codes. Engineers and architects design buildings to comply with building codes to ensure structural integrity—soundness of the structure. Accountants and auditors must comply with IRS codes. The medical profession must comply with an assortment of health and legal codes. Many areas of business, however, have few codes. The bottom line is all people must use judgment and make choices.
Regardless of the sector of business, society places huge demands and challenges upon all of us. We are pressured on every side to perform tasks quickly to get things done. More often than not we are judged on the quantity of what we accomplish, even if it means compromising quality. There are tradeoffs to make, and many times those in command trade off ethics and integrity for the sake of expedience.
Why? The world’s emphasis is based on expedience: doing what ever it takes to accomplish the goal in the shortest time at the lowest expense. Such an ideal, unfortunately, is based on near-sighted vision. It causes priorities to be set with limited short term vision. What typically happens is things fall through the cracks. Results fall short of expectations. An assessment typically reveals gaps in the process. Ultimately the gaps lead to inefficiencies. The bottom line is the expedient process proves to be dysfunctional. In the end the dysfunctional process not only results in a shortfall of expectations, but ultimately results in waste. Nobody wins.
This is what happens when our short term emphasis is performance-orientation. Such an orientation puts the emphasis on the ends over the means. You can see why God places value on the means over the ends.
It’s contrary to popular opinion, but purely logical! God’s ways aren’t man’s ways but higher! As Creator He values order. He sees the beginning and the end of things.
This is why God considers the weightier matter of the heart; moral values, principles and ethics, and the deeper motivations behind why and how we do things—the ways and means of the process. God looks at how we steward our time and resources, and why and how we make decisions and take action. Such things reveal the nature of our character.
David learned this the hard way. When his company of men brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, the ox stumbled, causing the Ark to fall to the ground. As one of the men put his hand to it God struck him and killed him. Why? David took the matter to heart and inquired of the Lord. He discovered; “because we did not consult Him about the proper order” (1 Chronicles 15:13). Their way treated God’s Ark with contempt; revealing a lack of integrity in handling God’s business.
REFLECT AND RELATE
In many sectors social responsibility is becoming more in vogue. It’s God’s way. In God’s eyes integrity is an imperative. It’s His modus-operandi; His standard. God looks at our values, morals and ethics. He has given us the gift of a conscience to weigh integrity.
How do you feel about God’s standard? How does it change the way you view your work?
REFERENCES
2 Samuel 6:1-11