Proverbs 2:21-22 For the upright will live in the land,
and the blameless will remain in it;
but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the unfaithful will be torn from it.

It is very interesting to me how often the Bible talks about honesty. (The Japanese says “honest” where the NIV says “upright” in verse 21.) Honesty seems to be in increasingly short supply, particularly in the public realm. We all have a basic desire for honesty, to be able to take people at their word, but any more, part of “growing up” has become learning to be skeptical of what others say. The irony is, we desire others to be honest with us, yet we make excuses for “bending the truth” ourselves. Human beings are, to use an old expression, “a piece of work!” The Bible gives so many reasons for being honest that I couldn’t begin to list them all. However, underlying them all is the fact that God never lies, and we are called to be like Him. (Matthew 5:48) We are explicitly told that Jesus never lied, (1 Peter 2:22) and we are being transformed into His likeness. (2 Corinthians 3:18) That said, what does it mean to be honest? That might seem to be an odd question, but we’ve got to remember that the devil is the father of lies, (John 8:44) and he disguises even the fact that he’s lying. To me, honesty is a heart attitude of not misleading. It is quite possible to mislead without saying anything that is demonstrably untrue; the government does that sort of thing all the time. I have no argument whatsoever with fiction that is presented as fiction. However, we are presented with mixtures all the time. The most important thing about all of this is to be honest before God. After all, it does no good to try to deceive Him! Honestly acknowledging our sins and mistakes is foundational to a right relationship with Him. If we will do that, we will find it easier and easier to be honest in all our interactions with everyone.

As I am frequently reminded, I was raised by a father who held absolute honesty as one of his foundational principles. What a blessing! I have held to that for many years now myself, but it took me quite a while to get around to it. The “white lie” is always a temptation. That doesn’t mean I’m always to say everything I know; that can damage relationships needlessly, besides turning me into a bore. However, I am very thankful to have a reputation for honesty. One area where I particularly need to be careful is in making promises to do things. I need to say, “I’ll try,” or “I hope to,” much more often, because all too often I simply forget! James closes his letter with a brief discourse on this. (James 4:13-17) I am to recognize my own frailty, and base my honesty not on what I can do but on God, who never fails.

Father, thank You for Your absolute faithfulness. Thank You that Your promises never fail. Help me fulfill the conditions so that I may walk in the benefits, manifesting Your grace for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!