--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man of integrity speaks the truth with…" description: "\"“A man of integrity speaks the truth with love rather than worrying about being nice.”\" — Rick Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4b/rick-johnson-17553_love_a-man-of-integrity-speaks-the-truth-with_1796702.jpg" --- # A man of integrity speaks the truth with love rather than… ![“A man of integrity speaks the truth with love rather than worrying about being nice.” quote by Rick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4b/rick-johnson-17553_love_a-man-of-integrity-speaks-the-truth-with_1796702.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4b/rick-johnson-17553_love_a-man-of-integrity-speaks-the-truth-with_1796702.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4b/rick-johnson-17553_love_a-man-of-integrity-speaks-the-truth-with_1796702.jpg) > ““A man of integrity speaks the truth with love rather than worrying about being nice.”” [Rick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Integrity means speaking truth with love, valuing honesty over superficial niceness. **In simple terms:** Truth with love beats being nice. Key Takeaway Choose honest kindness over empty politeness. Themes integrity truth love communication Mood reflective encouraging thoughtful Type ethical interpersonal When to use this quote - personal relationships - workplace feedback - public speaking - conflict resolution Key Concepts ethical honesty emotional intelligence relationship building Questions to Reflect On - When have you prioritized truth over being liked? - How can love soften honest criticism? A Different Perspective May be perceived as harsh if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Integrity Speaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity-speaks-1994719/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Man Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-integrity-1405105/) [Man of integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-of-integrity/) [Speaks Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speaks-truth/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-love/) ## Related quotes > [Our country is fortunate to have Bill Barr, a man of integrity who has served two U.S. Presidents, as our Attorney General.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-braun/our-country-is-fortunate-to-have-bill-barr-a-man-of-integrity-who-has/) [Mike Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-braun/) > [I've always considered myself a man of integrity as a leader of the American Indian Movement and of Indian people. I will stand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/i-ve-always-considered-myself-a-man-of-integrity-as-a-leader-of-the/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [I know Eric Engerbretson to be a man of integrity who is firmly committed to the artful balance of music and ministry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-keaggy/i-know-eric-engerbretson-to-be-a-man-of-integrity-who-is-firmly/) [Phil Keaggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-keaggy/) > [Whatever you think of Romney and his politics, as a human being there's none better. As a man of integrity, man of character, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/whatever-you-think-of-romney-and-his-politics-as-a-human-being-there/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [But my dad also was a remarkable man, a good person, a principled individual, a man of integrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-poitier/but-my-dad-also-was-a-remarkable-man-a-good-person-a-principled/) [Sidney Poitier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-poitier/) > [Abe Krok was a man of integrity who made a unique contribution to Mamelodi Sundowns and to South African football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrice-motsepe/abe-krok-was-a-man-of-integrity-who-made-a-unique-contribution-to/) [Patrice Motsepe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrice-motsepe/) > [If an uncompromising stand is to be smeared as 'extremism,' then that smear is directed at any devotion to values, any loyalty to principles,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/if-an-uncompromising-stand-is-to-be-smeared-as-extremism-then-that/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [There is nothing so delightful as the hearing, or the speaking of truth. For this reason, there is no conversation so agreeable as that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/there-is-nothing-so-delightful-as-the-hearing-or-the-speaking-of/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Good men sometimes make mistakes. A man of integrity will honestly face and correct his mistakes, and that is an example we can respect.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-todd-christofferson/good-men-sometimes-make-mistakes-a-man-of-integrity-will-honestly/) [D. Todd Christofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-todd-christofferson/) > [If you want to take the meaning of the word integrity and reduce it to its simplest terms, you'd conclude that a man of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mccartney/if-you-want-to-take-the-meaning-of-the-word-integrity-and-reduce-it/) [Bill McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mccartney/) > [“Joe is a man of integrity, incapable of hiding what he really thinks, and one of those rare people you know you could turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/joe-is-a-man-of-integrity-incapable-of-hiding-what-he-really-thinks/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [“For to Ade,...the holy man was the whole mad, the man of integrity, who not only tried to change the world, but to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/for-to-ade-the-holy-man-was-the-whole-mad-the-man-of-integrity-who/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [“I’m a man of integrity. My heart is locked and I have given you the only key.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delano-johnson/i-m-a-man-of-integrity-my-heart-is-locked-and-i-have-given-you-the/) [Delano Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delano-johnson/) > [Looking back, when I was fourteen, I aspired to... be the best believer, husband, father, businessman, and man of integrity that I can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-crowder/looking-back-when-i-was-fourteen-i-aspired-to-be-the-best-believer/) [Steven Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-crowder/) > [I know Kurt Volker definitely to be a man of integrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/i-know-kurt-volker-definitely-to-be-a-man-of-integrity/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) ## More by Rick Johnson > [“The important point here is that you must not doubt of what you say because if you do, every single person in that room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/the-important-point-here-is-that-you-must-not-doubt-of-what-you-say/) [Rick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/) > [“The weaker male is frenzied with gratifying his woman and looking for her appreciation and approval. The confident type does not have to ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/the-weaker-male-is-frenzied-with-gratifying-his-woman-and-looking-for/) [Rick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/) > [“Males have an internal radar that can detect female sexual availability or vulnerability. This exposes young girls and women to predators who prey upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/males-have-an-internal-radar-that-can-detect-female-sexual/) [Rick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/) > [“Sometimes you just have to cry a river, build a bridge, and get over it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/sometimes-you-just-have-to-cry-a-river-build-a-bridge-and-get-over-it/) [Rick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/) > [“He is the hero of her childhood and often a wall she pushes against during her adolescence. He is often both the rule-maker, laying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/he-is-the-hero-of-her-childhood-and-often-a-wall-she-pushes-against/) [Rick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/) > [“So help me, all it takes for the world to crumble to nothing is for women to lose their virtue and men their honor.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/so-help-me-all-it-takes-for-the-world-to-crumble-to-nothing-is-for/) [Rick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/) > [“As a girl gets older, father-connectedness is the number one factor in delaying and preventing her from engaging in premarital sex and drug and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/as-a-girl-gets-older-father-connectedness-is-the-number-one-factor-in/) [Rick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/) > [“When dad is not around to provide a model of masculinity or to nurture his daughter’s soul, the consequences can be devastating to girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/when-dad-is-not-around-to-provide-a-model-of-masculinity-or-to/) [Rick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/) > [“In other words, it is a great deal more dignified to battle with words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/in-other-words-it-is-a-great-deal-more-dignified-to-battle-with-words/) [Rick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/) > [“Remember, adversity does not necessarily build character in a man—but it does reveal it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/remember-adversity-does-not-necessarily-build-character-in-a-man-but/) [Rick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/) > [“Men derive their worth from what they do, while women derive their worth from who they are.1”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/men-derive-their-worth-from-what-they-do-while-women-derive-their/) [Rick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/) > [“Say little, but have what you say noticed as making perfect sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/say-little-but-have-what-you-say-noticed-as-making-perfect-sense/) [Rick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/) > [“Overcome the fear of socializing-”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/overcome-the-fear-of-socializing/) [Rick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/) > [“confident, charming, dominant, sociable, having high status, and having an attractive lifestyle,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/confident-charming-dominant-sociable-having-high-status-and-having-an/) [Rick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/) > [“You have to keep in mind that stammering, tripping over words, stammering and speaking too quick only shows you are insecure and unsure of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/you-have-to-keep-in-mind-that-stammering-tripping-over-words/) [Rick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/) [Explore all 37 Rick Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/) ## More Integrity quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [I can be taken away from myself quite easily, I kind of start betraying myself and compromising my integrity, to keep someone else happy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-lou-wood/i-can-be-taken-away-from-myself-quite-easily-i-kind-of-start/) [Aimee Lou Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-lou-wood/) > [I take the responsibility of playing another ethnicity very, very seriously, and I promise myself and those people that I will represent them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-curtis/i-take-the-responsibility-of-playing-another-ethnicity-very-very/) [Cliff Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-curtis/) > [I have often spoken of integrity as the most important of these values, realizing that integrity – and personal integrity, at that – is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verghese-kurien/i-have-often-spoken-of-integrity-as-the-most-important-of-these/) [Verghese Kurien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verghese-kurien/) > [The Kennedys have always represented a certain royal quality, Camelot, and they represent a great deal of integrity and strength and perseverance; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-slater/the-kennedys-have-always-represented-a-certain-royal-quality-camelot/) [Christian Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-slater/) > [We want to promote the great quality of athletics - and maintain it's integrity - all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-juantorena/we-want-to-promote-the-great-quality-of-athletics-and-maintain-it-s/) [Alberto Juantorena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-juantorena/) > [A man should be upright, not kept upright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/a-man-should-be-upright-not-kept-upright/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Too much principle is often more harmful than too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/too-much-principle-is-often-more-harmful-than-too-little/) [Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/) > [The interesting thing is that everyone in golf is just nice. You learn a lot about people playing golf: their integrity, how they play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-interesting-thing-is-that-everyone-in-golf-is-just-nice-you-learn/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Don't worry so much about your self-esteem. Worry more about your character. Integrity is its own reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/don-t-worry-so-much-about-your-self-esteem-worry-more-about-your/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [The family remains the basic unit of society and the first school in which children learn the human, spiritual and moral values which enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-family-remains-the-basic-unit-of-society-and-the-first-school-in/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“We should remark the grace and fascination that there is even in the incidentals of Nature's processes.. When a loaf of bread,. for instance,.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/we-should-remark-the-grace-and-fascination-that-there-is-even-in-the/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [The reason I do small, independent movies is because I want to keep my soul intact and maintain some kind of integrity within this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-bell/the-reason-i-do-small-independent-movies-is-because-i-want-to-keep-my/) [Jamie Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-bell/) > [The 'key-log' which must be moved to release the evolutionary process for an ethic is simply this: quit thinking about decent land-use as solely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/land-ethic/the-key-log-which-must-be-moved-to-release-the-evolutionary-process/) [Land ethic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/land-ethic/) [Browse all 4,810 Integrity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A man of integrity speaks the truth with love rather than worrying about being nice.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rick Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/a-man-of-integrity-speaks-the-truth-with-love-rather-than-worrying/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Integrity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/a-man-of-integrity-speaks-the-truth-with-love-rather-than-worrying/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4b/rick-johnson-17553_love_a-man-of-integrity-speaks-the-truth-with_1796702.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4b/rick-johnson-17553_love_a-man-of-integrity-speaks-the-truth-with_1796702.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4b/rick-johnson-17553_love_a-man-of-integrity-speaks-the-truth-with_1796702.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A man of integrity speaks the truth with love rather than worrying about being nice.” — Rick Johnson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rick Johnson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-johnson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A man of integrity speaks the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/a-man-of-integrity-speaks-the-truth-with-love-rather-than-worrying/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-johnson/a-man-of-integrity-speaks-the-truth-with-love-rather-than-worrying/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```