Stuff I've learned in year 7 - Part 1

This weekend is our 7-year anniversary, and I've been thinking about the things that God has shown me this year. Here's the first one:

Talent cannot compensate for a lack of integrity

The story of Samson has been rockin' my world as of late. This was a guy that has extraordinary talents and strengths (literally!). But he lacked integrity. He started with small compromises that eventually led to him losing his strength and trusted position as Israel's judge.

This year we have seen Christian leaders fall in the most heinous of ways. Thinking "That will never happen to me" is foolish to say the least, because every leader that falls thinks that about themselves. I believe if Samson had dealt with his minor compromises right from the get-go, he would have never gotten the most famous haircut in the Bible.

We need to learn the lesson of Samson. That talent isn't enough. People won't follow leaders who just have talent. We need to be people of integrity, because that's people lasts over the long haul.