I have heard more messages than I could count based on the notorious story of King David's adultery with Bathsheba and subsequent murderous cover-up attempt. If this were happening today, the media would no doubt title it "Bathsheba-gate" or something similar, and there would be congressional hearings, royal commissions and maybe even a senate enquiry!

But back in King David's days, it was basically all between David and his God—that was enough. But choices have consequences! And David's choices in the "Bathsheba-gate" scandal led to ongoing consequences that dogged him and his family for many years.

When the prophet Nathan confronted David with his wrongdoings in 2 Samuel 12, David immediately repented ("I have sinned against the Lord") but was too late to avoid a chain reaction of cascading consequences:

And apart from the disastrous "domino effect" David and his immediate family suffered because of his actions, there is another aspect that I now want to examine, one that has a major importance for Christians in the marketplace. As I have heard many a preacher say, this has just been the introduction ... now let me get to my message!

Far-Reaching Impact

And my message is a simple yet profound one—what we, as kingdom business professionals do, has a far-reaching impact on those around us. Once we "go public" as Christians, every eye is on us. We are perceived differently, and we are watched like a hawk to see how we handle ourselves in matters both large and small.

There is an old saying, that YOU might be the only "Bible" those around you might ever read. They may never pick up the Word to God to read, but they will read you as a professing Christian. They will read both your words and your actions.

The most common charge laid against Christians is that they are hypocrites. Worldly people can do whatever they like, politicians and business people alike can steal, cheat, lie and commit adultery, yet be immediately forgiven. Christians do not have that "luxury." How many times have you heard people around you say: "I would never go to church; it is full of hypocrites"?

Unfortunately, that is so often correct—the Sunday Christians are the Monday opportunists and the week-long hypocrites! And as a result, the cause of our Lord is blasphemed and we become a stumbling block to those around us.

That is exactly what David did with his "Bathsheba-gate" experience. He suffered a series of horrific personal consequences for his choices, but in an even more ominous sense, he dishonored and brought shame on the name of the Lord God Almighty.

David, a man "after God's own heart," committed adultery, lied and murdered. In great grief and regret, the prophet Nathan told David: "You have given the enemies of the Lord great opportunity to despise and blaspheme Him" (2 Sam. 12:14).

The critical lesson we can draw from this sad passage is that if we choose (and God gave us the free will) to lie, cheat, deceive or otherwise act in an ungodly manner in our business and professional life, there may well be personal consequences, but much more importantly, we give the enemies of God all around us a golden opportunity to "despise and blaspheme" Him. In football parlance, we score an "own goal."

Integrity Counts

Integrity is not an "optional extra" if we want to maintain an authentic and valid Christian testimony in the marketplace. We are under the microscope at every moment, whether we realize it or not. We are, quite literally, "ambassadors for Christ," and we must comport ourselves accordingly even when the pressure is on and the temptation is hot and heavy to cut that corner that no one else will ever know about.

Integrity is often described as who you are when no one else is looking. Who you really are when you are alone; except of course for God, whose eyes are always roaming "to and fro" to see whose hearts are "perfect" towards Him (2 Chr. 16:9).

Integrity is not just an outward show for the world around us—it is an inward commitment and reality. It is character instead of personality; conviction instead of preference. David learned from his mistakes and went on to write the Book of Psalms, saying "But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity ... let integrity and uprightness preserve me" (Ps. 26:11).

His son Solomon later wrote the book of Proverbs. He obviously gained from observing what had happened to his father David, telling us again and again of the benefits of living a godly lifestyle with integrity:

It seems to me a very simple equation: Godly lifestyle brings favor and blessing in abundance, while a life of dishonesty and depravity brings personal disappointment and devastation, providing an open door for those who want to "despise and blaspheme" the name of our God in the middle of this "evil and adulterous generation" (Matt. 12:39).