Wednesday, 1^st March, 2023

Bible Reading: Proverbs 11:3, Proverbs 12:22

Memory Verse: Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out. Proverbs 10:9 (NIV)

At the 3rd Annual Christopher Kolade Lecture on business integrity in Lagos, June 25, 2015, Nigeria’s Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON said, “Real integrity is all-pervasive.  A man cannot lack personal integrity and at the same time have business integrity. Neither can he exhibit business integrity when other aspects of his life are corrupt. One of the qualities of integrity to stress is, therefore, its consistency. Integrity is integrity. It should not change with the role of the man or woman, whether as a parent, a teacher, a businessman, a policewoman or a politician.

Rather, integrity must reflect in a person’s behaviour, irrespective of the role he finds himself playing at a particular time. At the level of a society or nation, the same applies. Real integrity demands that all facets of the group’s life are consistently imbued with the same principles of integrity.

At the 8th Christopher Kolade Lecture on Business Integrity in Year 2022, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, a Nigerian business woman, and former Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria, spoke passionately about integrity being a journey and a personal decision to commit to what integrity represents regardless of the situation. No one should wait till a time of crisis to define what your values are as the pressure of the situation might define your choices and it might not necessarily be based on your values.

Integrity is always tested during a crisis as seen in the situation of the nation in the last couple of weeks. Integrity needs to be earned in advance of a crisis and based on track record that you had kept your word in the past and so you are likely to do so again. Ultimately, there would be more opportunities and more people willing to do business with you if you have earned their trust over-time. We need to have both top-down and bottom-up approaches to the issues of integrity.

There is the need to start building the next generation with the right mind set and re-enforcing the values in the family setting. In addition there is an urgent need for a support system for those who have been called to occupy public offices.

Quote:  Integrity in practice is having the courage to do what you believe is right in every situation – Dr Christopher Kolade CON

Prophetic Decree: Receive the Spirit of integrity, in Jesus mighty name.

Prayer Focus

1. Holy Spirit, make me integral as Jesus Christ was integral, in Jesus name.

2. I break the backbone of dishonesty in my life, in Jesus name.

3. Holy Spirit, please help me to be integral in character, in Jesus name.

4. May I not fail Jesus when it is comfortable and when it is uncomfortable for me, in Jesus name.

5. May I never betray the confidence heavens repose over me, in Jesus name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 14-15; Psalm 90