Honesty

"Honesty is the best policy."  A childhood admonishment that I'm sure I was not the only one who received.  A rule that is sooooooo much easier stated than it is actually implemented. As we grow older often times it seems we make this simple policy more complicated than it should be.

Whole truths vs. half truths... little white lies... bigger white lies... leaving out the details... ducking the truth... avoiding the truth... and then there is the out and out lie.

Honesty.  Truthful, sincere, free from deceit, candor, fair, upright, integrity.

If this is the best policy, why is it often an issue?

Dishonesty exists for a multitude of reasons.
Trying not to hurt someone's feelings.  Avoiding consequences of our own behavior.  Fear of what others may think.  To benefit from whatever is being hidden.  Or perhaps out of perception that one is making things easier. 

 TRUTH IS... dishonesty never fixes anything.  Dishonesty never makes anything easier, especially in the long run (when the fallout is ultimately larger and more detrimental).  Hurting someone with the truth is far better than killing them silently and slowly with a lie (sometimes you are hurting yourself the most - you are the one silently and slowly dying on the inside).  It is best to just be honest, tell the truth and deal with an honest mess. 

Honesty requires true strength and true courage.   The hardest person to be honest with is our own self. 

TRUTH IS... More often than not, the person we are least honest with is ourselves.  PROBLEM IS... More people than we think actually know the truth.  You see, honesty is a reflection of character.  Honest hearts produce honest actions. 

Honesty may seem incredibly hard to find but the act of examining ourselves leads us headlong into honesty and often forces us to wrestle with the truth. 

Honesty brings integrity ... doing the right and good thing regardless of consequences.  When you embrace, practice and live honesty, you gain the respect of those around you, but more importantly you move in the direction God desires for you. 

Making a mistake is common.  Being honest allows forgiveness... of others, of ourselves.

"Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving."

My prayer tonite is for the courage, guidance and strength to embrace, practice and live honesty --- and in doing so you will gain respect and find God's desires for you and those you care for.

Job 6:25  How painful are honest words! But what do your arguments prove?

Proverbs 14:5  An honest witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies.

Proverbs 11:3  Good people are guided by their honesty; treacherous people are destroyed by their dishonesty.”

Proverbs 16:13  Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value the one who speaks what is right.

Proverbs 24:26  An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.