“Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” – Paul of Tarsus (city in modern-day Turkey), a first-century teacher.
Once again, we are enjoying the holidays at the end of the year, when we share our love expressed by exchanging gifts and sharing joyful moments with our family and friends. Our houses and even our gardens are illuminated by lights telling the message, without words, that it is our desire to live in harmony with each other, in truth, united in one purpose, which is the joy of us all.
Most of us know that this holiday spirit originated with a humble Jewish teacher named Jesus, born in Bethlehem, Israel, around 4 BC. What many people might not realize is that this teacher’s most remarkable trait—His humility—is fundamentally connected to integrity. So, how does that work?
Well, this becomes clear when we consider integrity as purity or originality of character. By definition, purity reflects the original state of a substance, meaning it is not mixed with anything else, like when we talk about pure gold. Applying this idea to humans reveals an often-overlooked aspect of integrity: faithfulness to the role given to us at creation. We were created not to think more highly of ourselves or to exalt ourselves above others, but to behave with humility and a spirit of service. And that’s exactly what this Jewish teacher did. On one occasion, He washed the feet of His followers, a task traditionally assigned to the lowest slaves by that time. This became even more remarkable when it was revealed that this humble Jewish teacher was God in human flesh.
Since then, Christian ethics has encouraged us not only to look out for our own personal interests but also for the interests of others. How many leaders caught in corruption cases and brought to court couldn’t be avoided if they had just followed this piece of advice? How much sorrow in our families couldn’t be spared if we just followed this humility principle?
As we bathe our houses in the light of Christmas, let us inwardly aspire to this one simple integrity trait, i.e., humility. Christmas reveals one fundamental aspect of life: it’s not about me, but about us.
Leading With Integrity Foundation wishes you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
To purchase message us at info@lwi-foundation.org.
“No buska boso interes personal so, ma buska tambe interes di otronan” – Pablo di Tarsus (un siudat den Turkia di awendia), un maestro di promé siglo.
Un bia mas, nos ta gosando di dianan di fiesta na fin di aña ora nos kompartí nos amor ku otro dor di duna otro regalo i gosa di momentonan alegre huntu ku nos famia i amigunan. Nos kasnan i asta nos kurá ta iluminá ku lus dunando e mensahe, sin palabra, ku ta nos deseo pa biba den harmonia ku otro, den bèrdat, uní den un propósito loke ta nos tur su goso.
Mayoria di nos sa ku e spiritu aki di fin di aña a kuminsá serka un siñadó Hudiu humilde yamá Hesus, ku a nase na Betlehem, Israel, ban’di aña 4 promé ku Kristu. Loke hopi hende kisas no ta realisá ta ku e karakterístika mas remarkabel di e siñadó aki, esta Su humildat, ta fundamentalmente konektá ku integridat. Pues, kon esei ta bai?
Wèl, esaki ta bira bisto ora nos konsiderá ku integridat ta enserá puresa òf originalidat di karakter. Pa definishon, puresa ta reflehá e estado original di un supstansia loke ta nifiká ku e no ta mesklá ku nada otro manera ora nos ta papia di oro puru. Aplikando e idea aki na hende ta revelá un aspekto di integridat ku hopi bia ta wòrdu lubidá: fieldat na e ròl duná na nos na kreashon. Nos ta kreá pa no pensa mas haltu di nos mes òf halsa nos mes riba otro ma komportá nos ku humildat i un spiritu di sirbi. I esei ta eksaktamente loke e siñadó Hudiu aki a hasi. Na un okashon, El a laba pia di Su siguidónan, un tarea tradishonalmente asigná na e katibunan di mas abou den komunidat dje tempu ei. Esaki a bira asta mas remarkabel ora a keda revelá ku e siñadó humilde aki tabata Dios den kurpa humano.
Fo’i e tempu ei, étika Kristian ta enkurashá nos pa no wak nos interes personal so ma tambe interes di otro hende. Kuantu kaso di korupshon di lidernan hibá na korte, n’ por a keda evitá si nan a djis sigui e konseho aki? Kuantu tristesa den nos famianan n’ por a keda evitá si nos a djis sigui e prinsipio di humildat aki?
Ora nos kubri nos kasnan ku e lus di Pasku, laga nos aspirá den nos kurason esun marka simpel aki di integridat, esta humildat. Pasku ta revelá un aspekto fundamental di bida: no ta bai pa ami ma pa nos.
Leading With Integrity Foundation ta deseá bo un bon Pasku i un felis Aña Nobo.
