“May integrity and uprightness watch over me” (25:21)

We need that little voice to whisper in our ear when we are tempted to stray from the path of goodness and righteousness. When no one is watching, it is easy to talk ourselves into taking shortcuts, eating unwisely, and letting loose our selfish inclinations. We need to listen to the still, small, voice of our conscience telling us that even if no one else knows, we know whether we live with integrity or not. And when we succumb and habituate ourselves to giving in to evil in private, it will infect our public lives as well.