Integrity and the dream of the footstools

...It is one of those watchwords that has kept presenting itself to me of late.

As I review old journal entries, ones from two summers ago in particular, I find I looked at this word then, too. I wrote an interesting thought down then: "This [integrity] is not something I've really considered as a trait God would show toward me, rather simply something I am supposed to show toward God. But what is integrity?" These were the words I wrote then.

Since then, life has brought me to realize that the integrity of God toward me has indeed been paraded through diverse trials, and I have been called to answer as to what I think of it all. Of late, the most profound thought I've had in this arena is this: that although I didn't really understand fully, I nevertheless am not to stand in the place of the Accuser. There is such a place preserved (for now anyway) before the throne of God, but I am not to stand in that place.

In fact, even as I type this, I remember a dream I had about a footstool. It was a beautiful little footstool, made of soft leather and standing on three fine, satin-smooth wooden legs. It felt good just to look upon it. But butted up against it was a big ottoman, of dingy micro fibre. It had the appearance of other things I've seen in dreams as being the furnishings of the synagogue of Satan. In this dream, I knew it was not good that these footstools should be so close, even touching, so I tried to pull the smaller and beautiful footstool away from the big ugly one. But I did not have the power to move the small one.

I've wondered for a long time what these footstools meant, and why I did what I did--or rather couldn't do what I couldn't do. But, it now seems to me that it is about this idea of removing o separating the authority of the Accuser that calls to the attention of God the guilt of others perpetually presenting this to God--separating this big ugly footstool from the one that is light and beautiful, balanced and simple and and unassuming in the fullness of its goodness. Generally, the one stool presents itself as if it were attached to the other, in other words authority marches at the prompting of Satan when he masquerades himself as one wrapped in the light of Integrity. It is not for me alone to have this task of removing such an Accuser from the presence of the Beautiful One...but I certainly stand near enough to see the true natures of these footstools of authority at the very foot of His throne. I have heard You say this so much lately, and I hear it again regarding this: more is yet to be revealed. For now, this much I know: that no matter what my eyes and life might show me, I will not only refrain from vengeance, I will refrain even from accusation, not joining myself to those who would put accusation in place of intercession, forgetting to wait upon You to work Your own will.
This command I will honor as long as You bring it to my mind, which I pray You do often, and I see even now Your ways of under girding it.


Now as I search this word, integrity, I find foundational wisdom in embracing integrity in this path of meekness--even though I feel rather alone as many would profess wisdom in the opposite: that by integrity we are to condemn the wicked. Such as these accusers might quote Psalm 18:25 to their support: "To the faithful You show Yourself faithful; to those with integrity You show integrity." And I know the many references in the epistles about shunning those who are not walking uprightly. I do not refute the wisdom of these scriptures, but I'd nevertheless point out as well that I Samuel 16:7 says "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." I believe that true integrity is grounded in hope in God's own integrity, and not in a focus that is put on the lack of integrity in men, leading to accusation. "I would have lost heart unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living," says Psalm 27:13. I can say a hearty amen to that verse.

And as for judging others based on the uprightness already proven within us, lest we forget, these words are also written:
Psalm 7:8:
The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity [that is] in me.
Again,what is our purpose in considering integrity? Is it that we might be inspired to beg God Himself to be our harshest critic, to our good? Because he is both just and merciful and a searcher of the heart? So my ultimate prayer in this is not that I might use my integrity as a tool of attack, but of defense--for myself and for those for whom I'm called into intercession. So I pray this verse, too, as I know my family have had dreams of sliding:
Psalm 26:1:
[[[A Psalm] of David.]] Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; [therefore] I shall not slide.
And for more evidence of this role of integrity as a shield of lovingkindness over us and not as a weapon formed against those He puts under our authority:
Psalm 78:72
So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.
What's more, integrity is to be more like a wilderness guide than a ring to drive into the ear of one under us:
Proverbs 11:3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

So in the end, the question is this: is He our shield that we wield to the inspiration of others who are under us? Or, is our shield formed by our confidence in the righteousness of our accusations against others as we force them to choose: embrace our wisdom and goodness as evidence of your respect for the authority we've been given over you, or else be damned? As Oswald Chambers would say: are we using Christ's very weapons against Him?

So what says the final authority, our Lord Jesus about these things?
Mar 10:42
But Jesus called them [to him], and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
Mar 10:43
But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
Mar 10:44
And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
Mar 10:45
For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

These words from Christ, the only one who really has the authority to accuse and condemn.

But why is this so important? It manifests itself as a sign of the end of the age. Who but the Accuser will be put down finally and unequivocally in the day that Revelation 12 is finished:
Rev 12:10
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
Rev 12:11
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
(I know that many believe the events of this chapter in scripture are already accomplished, as Satan has been cast out of heaven, and Jesus said He saw Lucifer fall. But I believe Lucifer was cast out as a resident, and so these words of Rev. 12 are about something else. The Accuser is obviously still permitted access to God's throne room for this purpose of accusing; if it were not so, books like Job and Zechariah could not even exist and the word of our testimony and the blood of the Lamb would be put out of order. No...there is still much yet to be revealed, such as the nature of the day when this accuser loses more than just his residency, but loses even his very access entirely, the day when God walks us into the the covenant of perpetual peace.)

So we must decide: where do we stand when we enter the throne room of God? Alongside the one who accuses the brethren or alongside the one who says I come for those who need a physician? Both are in close proximity to each other for now.

And if all this is not enough to convince, humility begs a voice as well, for who is to say we aren't mistaken as we make our judgments regarding the integrity of others? Abraham "gave" Sarah to King Abimelech on the presumption that the king had no integrity and would kill him in order to have Sarah if he confessed that Sarah was already bound to him as his wife. So to preserve his own life, he lay a tricky statement--not an untruth, but not a fully transparent truth either--before this king: "She is my sister," he said, without adding, "...and my wife."
But the Lord nevertheless spoke to Abimelech:
Gen 20:3
But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou [art but] a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she [is] a man's wife.
Gen 20:4
But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?
Gen 20:5
Said he not unto me, She [is] my sister? and she, even she herself said, He [is] my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.
Gen 20:6
And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
Gen 20:7
Now therefore restore the man [his] wife; for he [is] a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore [her] not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that [are] thine.
Gen 20:10
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?

And what was Abraham's answer as to why he walked this slippery path:
Gen 20:11
And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God [is] not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.
But we are so much more discerning of matters such as when to be suspect of the integrity of the ungodly, are we not, more so than was the "friend of God" called Abraham? And do we not see that God redeemed all, and made the confusing integrity straight, neither removing the prophetic gift of Abraham nor the fruits of integrity in the King. Would we be as wise as God in such a moment as this? In the end, these men made a strong covenant with each other before the Lord. Would all my judgments lead to such an end?
No, my word is only reliable in what I beg of Thee for myself, and as for me, I will consider my own integrity and will keep it separate from issues of authority and rule. These are too lofty for me. This is my hope and the grounding of my own covenant with my Redeemer, and it is a large one:
Pro 20:7
The just [man] walketh in his integrity: his children [are] blessed after him.