To the Ends of the Earth: Legacy – Week 1, Day 1 – God Cares About Our Efforts and Rewards Them
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There are six things which the LORD hates,
seven which are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
a false witness who breathes out lies,
and a man who sows discord among brothers.
Proverbs 6:16–19
Probably most of us have heard the phrase “Honesty is the best policy.” But that virtue is a difficult one to live out. We don’t see it as often as we would like in the world around us, and even in our own lives, many of us struggle sometimes with honesty. Yet for us as Catholic men, integrity must be foundational to the legacy we leave behind and the inheritance our life is seeking. It is the cement that holds our relationships together, the foundation of every act of love that points the way to the kingdom of God. How can we take up our cross and follow Jesus, making our mark on the Church, if we are not willing to be honest about who we are, where we are going, and how we serve?
When we abandon integrity, we lose touch with our identity as Catholic men. Everything in our lives is thrown out of sync. We begin traveling down a dark path where sinful thoughts lead to wrong actions, which sow discord within the Body of Christ. This slippery slope, where the first falsehood leads to rationalization and more lies, dishonors our birthright as Catholics and serves as a poor testimony of the grace that has transformed our lives. But as we cultivate honesty, we shape the future of the Church into the image of the Savior, who came to bring us the truth.
This week, as we think about what it means to live honest lives, and consider the impact that our integrity has on the legacy we leave behind us, we will reflect on these truths from Scripture:
1. A blameless life keeps us safe.
“He who walks in integrity will be delivered, / but he who is perverse in his ways will fall into a pit” (Prv 28:18). Honesty carries us through trials and temptations, keeping us from stumbling and falling over our own lies. It allows us to complete our journey and add our unique spirit to the life of the Church.
2. Honesty is a good and prosperous guide.
“The integrity of the upright guides them, / but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them” (Prv 11:3). Honesty is single-minded purpose, a faithful roadmap to heaven. Those who seek truth and to be truthful provide a sure and steady lesson of righteousness for those who will come after. By contrast, those who reject honesty become conflicted, double-minded, and confused about which way will lead them home.
3. Our new self has no need for falsehood.
“Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his practices and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his creator” (Col 3:9–10). We who live in Christ are truly new men. Our lives of integrity fashion us ever more closely to the purity of God’s image, leaving Christ’s holy fingerprint on everything we say and do. New men build up the Church and model the path that future generations are to take.
4. Honest relationships go hand in hand with membership in the Body.
“Therefore, putting away falsehood, let every one speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another” (Eph 4:25). Honesty builds trust among the members of the Church. We must put off the lies and speak with transparency in order to connect more deeply with our family of faith. These deep and lasting relationships connect us not only to one another, but to the entire story of salvation from the Garden of Eden to the New Jerusalem on the Last Day.
5. Integrity is a satisfactory sacrifice that pleases God.
“To do righteousness and justice / is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice” (Prv 21:3). We could do a thousand good deeds and give up all we own, but without a deep commitment to a life of integrity, those works will never matter. True righteous living gives meaning to our acts of love, tying them to the sacrifice of Christ through the sacrifice of honesty we offer to God in faith.
A Call to Action
Honesty is a lifelong discipline; and the more we live in the truth, the deeper it grows. The world is watching us to see if we are truly living out what we say we believe. An honest Catholic man is a powerful witness in a world where dishonesty and falsehood are everywhere. A life of integrity leaves a lasting impression upon the body of believers and upon those who are searching for a Savior as well. Truth sheds light upon the darkness of this world and draws men and women toward the eternal inheritance that awaits all who pledge their lives to Christ.
This week, strive to be more consciously aware of your words and actions as you endeavor to be a man of truth and integrity. Hold yourself accountable for every little temptation to “stretch the truth,” and take seriously your call to be a man of truth and a pillar of strength through your honest example to those around you. Think of ways you can build up the Body of Christ by living as an honest man. Consider what changes might have to take place in your life in order for you to be a man of integrity who puts the Gospel, the Body of Christ, and the will of Almighty God first in your life.
You can learn more about the To the Ends of the Earth Series HERE
Mark C. McCann is an author and Ministry Consultant with more than 30 years of writing and ministry experience. He has published articles for a number of Catholic magazines and websites including St. Anthony Messenger, Emmanuel Magazine, Liguorian Magazine, Catholic Stand, the Connecticut Catholic Men's Conference, and Homiletic and Pastoral Review. He recently published the 4-volume Catholic men's devotional, To the Ends of the Earth, as well as the 2021 Advent Daybreaks devotional and 2022 Lenten Daybreaks devotional with Liguori Publishing. He has also released his End Times novel series, Jacob's Dream: The Vision and Jacob's Dream: The Final Battle. He was a radio host and producer for 8 years at a Connecticut Christian radio station and has worked as a Catholic religion teacher/campus minister and a parish youth minister. He has also served the Norwich, CT Diocese as a Youth Ministry Director and Family Life Director. He currently lives in Connecticut with his Proverbs 31 wife, where together they have brought up three incredible children. He strives each day to live out his call to be a man of words. You can learn more about Mark and his writing at www.wordsnvisions.com.
