“The integrity of the upright guides them…” Proverbs 11:3
Meditation: Jon Waterhouse was not only my son-in-law, but my friend, my brother in the Lord and my co-minister in the work of the Lord. He was my prayer partner for several years and was on the board of our ministry. Jon and I were very different men. He was as patient as I am impatient, as easy going as I am hard-charging and he did things at a very different pace than I do – to the extreme. Yet, we worked very well together. At family functions, he led worship and I led a devotion. In ministry, we complemented each other well. It was a microcosm of the Body of Christ working together. One thing that I appreciated so much (although it took me a while to appreciate it) was his approach to prayer. Before beginning, he would take a deep breath and just stop for a moment. His reverence for his God was a challenge for me and also a calming influence in this hurry up and go world we live in.
Jon was a man of integrity. His faith in Jesus Christ affected every aspect of his life—-from his prayer life and walk with the Lord to how he treated his wife and children and how he related with other people. I asked Jacob, his son, for one word to describe his father. After thinking for just a moment, said, “Trustworthy. I knew I could trust my dad.” It is a powerful testimony to Jon’s relationship with his Lord and Savior. Jon’s life was a testimony. There are several points of the legacy he left that challenges us all.
We all should be men of integrity – our word should be our word. Our wives, children, friends and co-workers should see us trustworthy. Too often, Christian men are not trustworthy. They are not true to their word. They break promises or pursue their passions rather than fulfilling their responsibilities. Three years after Jon’s untimely death, I am still challenged to be a man of integrity, a man of my word.
Challenge:
1) Jon’s faith was evident in every aspect of his life. Is your faith evident in your daily life?
2) His integrity was an outgrowth of his faith. He always did what was right, not what was expedient. Do you have this kind of integrity?
3) Jon’s wife and children were his highest priority. They came first and knew it. Do your wife and children know that they are your highest priority?
4) Jon was trustworthy. He kept his word in all circumstances. Are you known as a man of your word?
5) He was a man of prayer and worship. Jon loved to pray and worship. Both were an integral part of his life. Is prayer and worship a part of your daily life?
6) He was a man who stretched himself. Jon did things that didn’t really fit his personality because people asked him to. And not only did he do those things, he did them with enthusiasm. His life wasn’t about himself. He gave to others to make them happy. Would you do things out of character for you, just because your wife or children or grandchildren or even friends asked you to?
7) Jon was ready to meet his Lord and Savior. He did not wake up on the morning of June 13, 2012 thinking it was his last day on earth. He went to work, came home and had dinner with his family. Then he went to the movies, came home to relax, but had a heart attack and was gone in a moment. Jon was ready because of his faith in Jesus Christ. That faith affected his daily walk with God. He didn’t have to clean up his life to face God because he lived his life for the Lord every day.Do you live your life for God? Or do you live for yourself and your pleasures?
Live a life of integrity, stand firm in your faith today. You do not know if you have a tomorrow.
Thought for the Day: Lord, help me to live a life of integrity. I want to live my life for you so that my faith and trust in you would be evident to all those I come in contact with.
Chris Garner
Used by permission – Fortified Marriages.