HONESTY AND INTEGRITY
Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him. Colossians 3:9-10 (NLT)
Think about a time in your life when you were lied to. It’s happened to all of us. How did it feel when you found out the truth? Did you feel betrayed? Wounded? Despondent? Or maybe you’re just numb to it at this point because you’ve become so used to the lack of integrity and honesty in the world today.
Among believers, it should be different.
We are called to be men and women of integrity. We follow Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). That means we should be committed to speaking the truth; dishonesty and duplicity should have no place among believers. Our lives are to be a testimony to the transformation we’ve experienced in Christ. What we say and do impacts what we’ve often called our witness. I’m firmly convinced that lying absolutely impacts our ability to witness to others.
I’ll just confess that it’s difficult for me to trust someone who I know has a reputation of dishonesty. If they’ve lied before, even if not to me personally, in my mind, it calls into question the veracity of anything and everything they may be saying to me now. And I believe that’s largely how non-believers view those who purport to follow Christ but play fast and loose with the truth.
Now, you may be saying to yourself, I don’t tell any whoppers—just little white lies every now and again. Compromise your integrity a little, and I believe you’re opening the door to compromising it a lot. You may be seeking to spare someone’s feelings, but I would submit that we can and should speak the truth in a loving, tactful way.
APPLICATION: Have you been lying to anyone? Are you viewed as someone of shady character and questionable integrity? What steps can you take to repair your reputation and restore your witness? Who do you need to confess to and be honest with?
PRAYER: Father, help me to live as a person of integrity. Renew my mind and make me more like Your Son Jesus. Grant me opportunities to speak the truth and help me to do so in love. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?