Integrity

People are like icebergs. There is so much more to them than meets the eye. When you look at an iceberg, generally only about 10% to 20% of the iceberg is visible. The rest is hidden below the surface. People are like icebergs. There’s much more to them than meets the eye. The world may see 10% of us. Those closest to us may see 20% of us. But 80% of us is hidden below the surface.

• What do you think about and never share with others?
• Who are you when nobody is looking?
• How do you react to everyday aggravations?
• How do you handle failure?

Scientists now say that a series of slits, not a giant gash, sank the Titanic. The opulent, 900-foot cruise ship sank in 1912 on its first voyage, from England to New York. Fifteen hundred people died in the worst maritime disaster of the time.

The most widely held theory was that the ship hit an iceberg, which opened a huge gash in the side of the liner. But an international team of divers and scientists recently used sound waves to probe the wreckage, buried in the mud under two-and-a-half miles of water. Their discovery? The damage was surprisingly small. Instead of the huge gash, they found six relatively narrow slits across the six watertight holds.

Small damage, invisible to most, can sink not only a great ship but a great reputation.

No one can expect to succeed without strong character below the surface to protect his talent and sustain him during difficult times. Character holds us steady, no matter how rough the storm becomes. Or to put it another way, Character is the pedestal that determines how much weight a person can sustain. If your character is the size of a tooth pick, you can only sustain a postage stamp. If your character is as thick as a column, you can sustain a roof.

Martin Luther King asserted this:

• Cowardice asks the question: Is it safe?
• Consensus asks the question: Is it popular?
• Character asks the question: Is it right?

I pray for all of us that we will build lives of character and integrity that help us live our lives in a way that makes sense and glorify God.