Integrity

Integrity

You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is really an idolater who worships the things of this world. Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the terrible anger of God comes upon all those who disobey him. Don’t participate in the things these people do. For though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

Ephesians 5:5-9

The only time I see lizards is when I travel. In Florida, I’ve seen common lizards running in and out of bushes near a swimming pool. In the Virgin Islands, I once saw an eighteen-inch iguana roaming the property where we stayed.

As a child, I was fascinated to learn about chameleons. They are a specialized group of tree-living lizards, and their eighty-five or so species reside mostly in Africa and Asia. Perhaps the most interesting thing about chameleons is their ability to change the color of their skin—usually for camouflage purposes. Camouflage makes it possible for a chameleon to stalk its prey, and it also helps it hide from its predators. Camouflage—the practice of disguising, hiding, or deceiving—is a valuable asset for the chameleon. For the Christian, though, camouflage is a problem.

Ephesians 5:6 cautions us about human chameleons who are pretending to be Christians when it warns us not to be fooled by those who try to excuse sexual immorality, impurity, or greed. The passage goes on to explain that before we know Christ, our hearts are full of darkness. But when we come to know Christ, our hearts are full of the Lord’s light, and our behavior should make that clear.

Discussing the chameleon’s behavior with our children provides a teachable moment. Our behavior as Christians must reflect God’s gracious presence in our lives. Camouflage is not for Christians; camouflage is for chameleons.

God,

You alone have the power to bring us out of darkness and into the light. Please help us not to be fooled into excusing dark behavior in our lives. We need your wisdom and help. In Jesus’ name, amen.