One major reason marriages and relationships break down is broken promises. 

Integrity is the foundation on which good marriages and relationships are built. In order to have successful relationships, you must be known as someone who stands by your words. 

Integrity refers to consistency of values and actions; a person is said to have integrity when his/her actions “agree” with his/her proclaimed values, beliefs and principles. 

Respect is fundamental to any relationship. It is impossible to truly love a person you don’t respect; rather, you would readily express contempt for him/her. In the same vein, it would be quite difficult to respect (and love) someone whose word cannot be relied upon. Integrity and respect go hand-in-hand. 

During weddings, marriage vows are made and these vows are to guide how the couple would treat each other; it is more than a ritual, it is a pledge of commitment and marriages usually fail when one or both parties involved break their vows. 

Building a good marriage is not easy; it will require a lot of patience, sacrifices, compromises etc. it is therefore important that when choosing a life partner, we look beyond physical appearances. Beware the man or woman who gives a lot of attention to looking good but cares little about developing a good value system. 

Attraction is good but we are much more than the way we look, walk or smell; it is who we are on the inside that really matters.

The honeymoon phase of a marriage usually lasts for about 2-3 years then the couple gets down to working at living together. Through the various challenges that arise, they learn patience, forgiveness, selflessness, deference and all other necessary but “painful” virtues that work together to create a marriage that is heaven on earth. 

If lovey-dovey feelings and sex could make marriage wonderful, then there should be no problems in marriage, but the truth is that when integrity is lacking in a relationship, sexual desires vanish. 

A man is not defined by his sexual expertise but by his ability to speak and stay true to his words; the same goes for a virtuous woman.

Before you say “I do” to that woman or man, make sure you mean the words and that you really know the person to whom you are directing those words.

A man or woman who habitually breaks his/her word on issues that are minor will do same on important issues.

Are you a person of integrity? Do you even believe your own words? 

Do not make promises that you do not intend to keep. Regardless of the situation or pressure to act otherwise, stay true to your words. It might get you into difficult situations at first but most importantly, it will point you out as a man or woman of your words. It will earn you trust and respect; when people don’t respect or trust you, they strip you of influence. 

Broken words lead to broken promises and broken promises lead to broken marriages. 

The importance of integrity reverberates through the scriptures:

I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name for Your loving-kindness and for Your truth and faithfulness; for You have exalted above all else Your name and Your word and You have magnified Your word above all Your name! 
(Ps 138:2; Amplified Bible)

So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. 
(Isaiah 55:11; Amplified Bible)

God is a God of integrity. When He gives His Word, you can stake your life on it, it will come to pass! 

As each of us develops our relationship with God, we become more and more like Him and thus acquire the grace to walk in integrity and develop strong relationships.