I misunderstood the man at the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. A person in our group who is uncomfortable with heights, especially when they are leaning, wanted to walk the winding stairway back down to the level ground.

When I asked the man if we could go down, I thought he said, “There are two ways.” One way was back down the stairs. The other, I supposed, was over the side. This was quite a long and most likely terminal route. When I asked for clarification, the Keeper of the Chain who kept us from going down the stairs said in slightly more understandable English, “You have to wait.”

Ah. Very well then. My trembling relative and I would hold on for dear life and wait at the head of the line to go down the stairs and not over the edge. 

King David declared, “I will pay attention to the way of integrity.” He also said, “I will live with a heart of integrity in my house.” Of the two ways before him, he chose the pathway of integrity. He chose the path of doing the right thing the right way for the right reason in the right timing. 

I love The Message paraphrase where it says, “I’m doing the very best I can,
and I’m doing it at home, where it counts.” 

Start where you are. Do the right thing. Repeat. This is the way of integrity. A lifestyle of integrity unties a lot of knots. It smooths some rough places. It makes good outcomes more likely. 

How well do you want this day to go? Walk the pathway of integrity.

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I will walk the pathway of integrity.

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Our Father, lead me along the pathway of integrity. Lead me from the time I arise and leave for the day’s activities until I return home and find rest. Empower me to live with integrity in all things at all times. Amen.