We’ve seen what happens to people without integrity in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. Now let’s look to a positive example, the Apostle Paul. Paul was very opinionated. He constantly stepped on people’s toes and even hurt their feelings, yet he always sought to do the right thing, even when no one was watching. He was ever ready to reconcile but never backed away from the truth.

Paul had spent three years in Ephesus founding the church there among some people who were already believers (19:1). God had used Paul greatly and performed many signs and wonders, as described in today’s verse.

Paul’s ministry was so effective in Ephesus that the craftsman who made the idols to the false god Diana caused a riot and tried to have him arrested because so many people had believed in Jesus and stopped buying idols!

During those three years, the people of Ephesus learned to love Paul. They saw his love, reliability and most of all, integrity.

Acts 20 begins with Paul’s calling to go to Macedonia. He also traveled to Greece, Troas and Miletus. While in Troas, one believer named “Eutychus” went to sleep during his sermon and fell out a third-story window and died. Paul, under the control of the Holy Spirit, raised him from the dead.

We do know that today God has not granted us the ability to heal the sick and raise people from the dead. However, He has given us His Word, which was not written when Acts 19 and 20 took place, and the ability to pray. Integrity, as a Christian, is built and reinforced as we spend time in Bible reading and prayer.