2I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do.
What a great job recommendation! Integrity and godly fear, a winning combination. The first quality, integrity, has to do with proven character demonstrated over time with a variety of tasks. Hanani has shown again and again that he can be trusted, that his word matters, that he carries through on his commitments. When he says it, he does it. Integrity flows from the inside of a person. It is not something painted on the outside. To put it another way, integrity is deeply rooted in us. It takes many repetitions of the right act for integrity to take hold. But it takes more than that. It takes a change of heart. Hanani did not just do the right things, he wanted to do the right things. That is what fearing God can do for a person. It can get them turned around in the right direction. This fear is not the fear we have of a large barking dog running at us in an unfamiliar neighborhood. That is a fear based on lack of knowledge. As we get to know the Lord, we gain knowledge about His character and His kindness. He has reached repeatedly into history and intervened on behalf of those who expressed hope and faith in Him. He is absolutely pure in His intentions for us. Nothing evil can come from Him. He knows our hearts and our intentions, that they fall short way too often, and yet He calls us into intimate relationship with Himself. I want to be known as someone who fears God more than most. The more I know Him, the more this kind of fear rises in me. I am not afraid of Him, but I am filled with godly fear.
The Arnold Journey 