Integrity - My Earthly Father

Last night, I shared with my friend (also doing property) about my dad and integrity as he gave me a lift home.

Today is my dad’s birthday. I want to honour him for what he has taught me since young. He wasn’t the most involved father as he had to work long hours. But the strongest value he built into my life is integrity. He always said, “Even if you have no money, you must walk in integrity. Live with dignity.”

And he modeled it out for me. We didn’t have much as a family, but we held strongly to this value.

When I first entered real estate industry, I was probably naive. I simply trusted people. As a result, I was pretty shocked to see how believers could serve passionately in church yet didn’t bother about integrity in business transactions. There was a huge missing link. Christianity becomes a religion instead of the Way, the Truth & the Life.

For my non-Christian friends who have encountered such Christians, I am sorry. We as Christians have failed to represent Christianity.

God is good. Not only did He bless me with a father who walks in integrity, He also blessed me with a wife who lives the same way. For I cannot imagine having a wife who values money over integrity. Each time when I make a decision based on integrity over money, she always fully supports my decision, even if my deals are burst (lost count).

Sometimes, she feels that the way I am wired may not suit business industry. I think so too. Yet I chose to step into it, because I wanted to be with my son for his foundation years. God knows what’s next. It’s in His hands.

These two years plus have been quite a journey. Yet I am always thankful that God is always with me. I may not always see His hands, but I trust His heart.

Trusting Him means integrity over money.

Trusting ourselves means money over integrity.

There are many who try to be God and provide for themselves by manipulation. With their lips, God seems to be their Provider. But with their actions, they are their own provider. 

Apostle James said, “Show me your faith BY your works.” In other words, talk is cheap until it is matched by action. We are not called to judge people, but we are told to discern and judge the fruit.

The stories in real estate industry will show you how fallen the Christian world is. The true missing link, I believe, is a lack of true discipleship.

This industry has revealed so much about the hearts of people. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

My father is an honorable man with strong values. His life has been tough and challenging. It depends on his pure diligence and persistence, which is why God is never in the picture. Today marked his 68th birthday. And I pray that he will come to know Jesus very soon. Please pray and stand with me.