Vineyard Church of Knox County
Integrity in a Crooked World
Sermon Audio from Sunday, October 15, 2006 — In 2005, a year filled with political wrangling, natural disasters, and pop culture curiosities, Americans turned to the online dictionary of Merriam-Webster to help define it all. "Filibuster." Refugee." "Tsunami." Each was among the dictionary publisher's 10 most frequently looked up words among some 7 million users of its online site. But topping the list is a word that some say gives insight into the country's collective concern about its values: "Integrity."
The noun, formally defined as a "firm adherence to a code" and "incorruptibility," has always been popular on the Springfield-based company's website, said Merriam-Webster President John Morse. But in 2005, the true meaning of integrity seemed to be of extraordinary concern. About 200,000 people sought its definition. "I think the American people have isolated a very important issue for our society to be dealing with," Morse said. "The entire list gives us an interesting window that opens up into what people are thinking about in their lives."
