Are You An Honest Person?
“Do not testify falsely against your neighbor.”
-- Exodus 20:18
Are you an honest person? Do you ever sort of fudge the truth? Do you ever tell a white lie? Do you ever justify a falsehood because you didn’t want to hurt someone’s feelings?
Most people consider themselves to be fairly honest. And everyone probably has lied at some point. We just don’t like to be that blunt about it. We prefer to make excuses.
Excuses are everywhere. Some of them are quite good. For example, what do you tell a friend who asks if you like her new dress? Well, it’s easy if the dress is pretty and looks good on your friend. But what if it’s ugly and makes your friend look 20 pounds heavier and totally washed out? Do you tell her the truth and hurt her feelings, maybe even making her mad? Do you lie and tell her what she wants to hear? Or do you skirt around her, focusing on how much she loves the dress and refusing to comment on your own views?
Sarah was afraid, so she denied that she had laughed. But he said, “That is not true. You did laugh.” -- Genesis 18:15
Sometimes we lie because we’re afraid to admit that we made a mistake or did something wrong. Sometimes we lie because we want to embellish the facts to make ourselves, our children or our companies look better. We figure that it doesn’t hurt anyone so what difference does it make. Well, it makes a big difference to God and to the believe who come to realize that you aren’t truthful.
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. -- Ephesians 4:25
The other day I listened to a woman tell a lie about something totally stupid. I just looked at her and shook my head. She didn’t back off and change her story. I know. She was trying to build someone else up. I know in the long run it probably won’t ever matter. It was just so dishonest and unnecessary.
The thing is when you know someone is dishonest about small things, it really makes you wonder if they’re also dishonest about big things. How do know? You can’t. Not really. Not for sure.
Life would be so much easier for everyone if we spoke truthfully, with kindness in our hearts.
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