Honesty is said to be the best policy.
It’s Saturday, my blog writing day. Today is like some other Saturdays. The blogging thought wants to relax for an hour, maybe two. But I also hear, “take the whole day off.” These thoughts wrestle in my brain. It’s quite a scene. They squirm and try to evade me for a while. Finally, I throw them off the mat? Once they are gone, the brain starts to work, so here goes.
Truthfulness demands more than honesty. Honesty says we are not lying, but we are not revealing all the truth; we can leave out some crucial facts. Truthfulness means telling all the truth, and it gets me in trouble sometimes—with myself and others. No one is perfect. Imperfections will either make us liars to look good, at least for the moment, or help us to realize we are human.
Personal integrity strongly suggests we apologize for our wrongs. For some like me, apologies are not easy to do. But when I do, I get rid of that guilty feeling, the kind that nags at your insides. Saying I’m sorry brings relief and lets me go on with my day.
Years ago, I remember lying to my parents. I found it easy to do at first. Then I realized I had to tell another lie to hide the first lie. Then say another lie to hide the first two lies. Then the fourth and fifth came from somewhere, then I would forget lie number one, and the truth finally came out. As I matured, I realized it was better to tell the truth, the first time.
Jesus makes an applicable statement regarding this. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6 CSB). The analogy for me and maybe others is to follow his way of doing things. Tell the truth. Our life goes much better when it becomes a regular practice in our lives.
Truthfulness is the best policy to practice every day. Believing it and practicing it is less of a burden on our memory! Even on a Saturday when my brain wants to rest.
