Tuesday; October 15

As we read through the news these days there are a lot of opinions, but one fact is for certain – honesty has taken a hit.  Whether it is in the national debate or in the simple world of interpersonal relationships we are struggling with telling the truth.  There are times the truth is sacrificed for political or financial gain, then there are other times it is avoided to spare the feelings of our friends, family and neighbors.  Either way, we are tempted to either overtly lie or cover up the truth with a “fib”; but the fact is that honesty is not always the premier policy.
While the ability to tell the truth should be simple, it doesn’t always work that way.  So, how can we be more truthful?  Here are a few suggestions:
1.  Know the truth before speaking.  There are some people who blatantly lie about things, but often truth is sacrificed at the expense of speculation or innuendo.  Before we make a comment, let’s know the facts.
2.  Filter our responses before speaking.  There are times when we find ourselves lying and we really didn’t have to do so.  All we had to do was just not say anything at all – either the truth or a falsehood.  If we don’t want to tell the truth (either because it will make us or someone else bad), the best thing to do is say nothing at all.
3.  Separate emotion from the truth.  This is easier said than done, but when it comes to being honest it shouldn’t be about how we make others (or ourselves) feel.  No, we shouldn’t be caustic in telling the truth, but we should also be upfront.  The Bible says that we are, “... speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15). 
          Let’s be thoughtful and truthful.  That is a winning combination.
          Think About It!

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