John the Baptist and John Steinbeck on Integrity
John the Baptist preached forgiveness of sins, the coming of the Kingdom of God, and pointed to Jesus as the Messiah. But tucked into the Gospel of Luke, chapter 3, we see his ethical teaching.
- Everyone: If you have two coats, give one, and if you have food, share a meal. Give generously.
- Tax Collectors: If you send invoices as the tax collectors did, using Quickbooks I’m sure, do so honestly. Treat people with fairness.
- Soldiers: Don’t be violent. Don’t make false accusations. Be content with your wages.
This is a picture of social justice and integrity, and John the Baptist expected these things to characterize the Kingdom of God, the Christian life.
If you look closely at anyone, regardless of their religion, who leaves a good legacy, you’ll probably see these character traits manifested in their biography.
I’ve been reading Journal of a Novel by John Steinbeck and was struck by his attitude toward money and work. He was not what most would think of when they consider an example of the Christian life, but on this point he is exemplary. Here are some thoughts he shared with his editor about integrity.
“I am sure, after all of our years together, you will not ask me to make one single change for the sake of sales except in terms of clarity. I am not writing for money any more now than I ever did. If money comes that is fine, but [if] I knew right now that this book would not sell a thousand copies, I would still write it.”
Here we see a man content with his wages. To our capitalist ear, this sounds out of tune. But it’s at home in the Kingdom of God.
