Let God Do It!

Psalm 25:1
Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity.

The only thing a man has is his word. You must do what you say you are going to do or else people will come to the conclusion that you are not who you say you are. In the streets, they call it protecting your “Rep” or your reputation. In the movie Malcolm X, based upon the autobiography of Malcolm X, the street-wise hustler and numbers runner Archie never used paper when he made a gambling transaction. He always carried the numbers in his head. Detroit Red, later to become Malcolm X, decided he was going to hustle Archie by telling Archie he was wrong about a number. Archie warned Red if he was trying to hustle him he would kill him. “Don’t mess with my “Rep” all a man has is his Rep.

When you have a reputation you will always have to defend it in the flesh and you will always be paranoid, frustrated, and defensive of people trying to tarnish your reputation but when you have integrity you have the confidence that God will vindicate me!

What does it mean to have integrity?

1. Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code. For believers it is keeping the commandments of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ. When you have kept God’s Word it’s not up to you to prove yourself innocent, God will do that.

2. The state of being unimpaired; soundness.

3. The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness.

When you know you’ve done right by God and your motives are pure you can cry out to God when your character is in question. David was under attack by his enemies and even his own people turned against him. At one point, David was being attacked from the outside and the inside. The Philistines didn’t trust him and Saul, his king, was jealous and wanted to kill him. David cried out to God to vindicate him. When you walk in God’s law and your ways are pleasing to Him, you don’t have to fight people to protect your “rep” God will vindicate you while you are under attack. When I looked up the word vindicate, it was so powerful I had to write it down:

1. To clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting arguments or proof. When you walk in integrity you can let ignorant people talk about you knowing that God will show your heart and prove your innocence.

2. To provide justification or support for. When we are believers, we are already justified through the Blood of Jesus. Justification means “just as if I didn’t do it.” David was not perfect but he was a man after God’s own heart. As a friend of mine said, “you are not perfect but you got sense enough to cry out to God when you’ve gotten off track.”

3. To justify or prove the worth of, especially in light of later developments. The old folks said, “it all comes out in the wash,” meaning that your true intentions will come forth after all the dirt of accusation are processed in the water of truth.

4. To defend, maintain or insist on the recognition of one’s rights.

5. To exact revenge or avenge. Revenge is mine, says the Lord. God is our vindicator when we walk in his will.

Dear God, vindicate me from every attack and ever critic that has put their mouth on me. You know my heart and you know my intentions. I will keep my feet on solid ground and await your deliverance. Thank you Jesus!
Amen