Honesty: the Tiny Virtue That is Bedrock

Do you put a premium on honesty?

Do you expect it from others?

If you’re like many people, you think that honesty is being systematically stripped from American life. We’ve become too satisfied with lies and have tolerated it in ourselves and in others.

God doesn’t like falsehood at all. Especially from Christians.

Honesty isn’t thinking or saying nice things about other people or engaging in a popular cause. Honesty is an acknowledgement of truth. And truth is not relative. Truth is a person and His Name is Jesus.  John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

That’s why black pastor Saiko Woods states that Christians ought to wait for facts to emerge.  And he’s absolutely right!

Even videos of recent police shootings, for example, don’t tell the full story of what was in someone’s mind or blood system. When the full story comes out and the truth can be discerned then justice can be done. In a just society, whoever acted lawlessly reaps the consequences irrespective of power, position, a badge, or yes…race.

Has this been a tragedy? Yes, without a doubt. Racism? Not if race wasn’t the motivating factor. Consequences of PCP, DXM, or embalming fluid causing erratic behavior? Who knows?

That’s why we wait for facts. We wait upon the Truth.  That’s honesty.

But in the meantime, we have a media demanding the latest tabloid information and emergence of a non-stop “narrative.” But, that’s not truth. It’s story-telling.

Christian protestor, do you think God knows the difference between a narrative and the Truth? Between the downtrodden we all desire to support and those who rebel against the law and authority?

Can you legitimately call yourself a Christian if you’re really just following the crowd? If you’re not going to follow the Truth and where He leads? Jesus wouldn’t loot stores, commit arson, or boycott unrelated businesses as an expression of helping those downtrodden. Actions like that only heap additional injustice upon those already suffering.  Wake up Christian. 1 John 2:4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

Peter and John knew what it was like to ignore the narrative and instead, remain focused on the Truth.   The Sanhedrin were playing emotional politics and conferred together in Acts 4: 16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” 18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. 20 For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Honesty. That’s God’s policy and the incredible power within a Tiny Virtue for Exemplary Christians. Honesty ought to be more than a tiny virtue. It ought to be bedrock.

Ponder today: whether you’re interested in waiting upon and having a relationship with The Truth or if you’re content with an emotional response to a narrative.

Bible characters of the day: Peter and John