{"id":4465,"date":"2019-02-28T08:19:51","date_gmt":"2019-02-28T14:19:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nafwb.org\/?p=4465"},"modified":"2019-02-28T08:19:51","modified_gmt":"2019-02-28T14:19:51","slug":"honesty-the-only-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nafwb.org\/site\/honesty-the-only-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"Honesty: The Only Policy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Part ten of an eleven-part series on \u201cHabits of Highly Successful People\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Habit #9 \u2013 A Successful Person is Completely Honest<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Kevin Riggs<\/strong><\/p>\n

The one Commandment that’s\u00a0universally broken is probably\u00a0the Ninth Commandment. I\u00a0would like to think that the\u00a0older I get the less lying is a\u00a0temptation. But whether it is a blatant\u00a0lie or a white lie, dishonesty and\u00a0deception are constant temptations.<\/p>\n

The Commandments<\/strong><\/p>\n

Commandment Nine sounds negative,\u00a0“Thou shalt not bear false witness\u00a0against thy neighbor.\u201d Its implications,\u00a0however, are positive. At the\u00a0heart of this prohibition is an exhortation\u00a0to look out for one another’s reputation.\u00a0It is a reminder that I need to\u00a0defend people’s character, believing\u00a0the best about them.<\/p>\n

Specifically, the Ninth Commandment\u00a0has to do with the judicial system. If I am called to testify about\u00a0someone, it would be wrong to “bear\u00a0false witness,” To “bear false witness”\u00a0means to slander or say things that\u00a0are not fact, making empty accusations.\u00a0The general application behind\u00a0this Commandment is to be honest in\u00a0all situations.<\/p>\n

Ways People Lie<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have met a few people who make\u00a0lying an art form. The thing about lying\u00a0is that after a while you start to believe\u00a0your own lie. Basically, I have observed\u00a0two ways people lie.<\/p>\n

Dishonesty <\/strong><\/p>\n

Dishonesty means telling a blatant lie.\u00a0Dishonesty is spreading, saying or doing\u00a0something that is entirely false. When I\u00a0take credit for something I did not do,\u00a0that is dishonest. When I call in to work\u00a0sick so I can go shopping or fishing, l am\u00a0being dishonest. Dishonesty includes\u00a0things like cheating on a test and intentionally\u00a0spreading false information.<\/p>\n

Deception <\/strong><\/p>\n

Deception is stretching the truth or\u00a0telling facts in a misleading way or leaving out parts of a story in order to paint\u00a0the picture I want to paint. \u00a0I believe that\u00a0deception is more harmful than dishonesty.\u00a0Deception is harder for the innocent to defend. As the old saying goes,\u00a0\u201cOh what a tangled web we weave\u00a0when at first we practice to deceive.”<\/p>\n

Reasons People Lie<\/strong><\/p>\n

Both dishonesty and deception\u00a0convey things not true. I don’t like to\u00a0be lied to or lied about; yet I am\u00a0tempted to do the same to others.\u00a0Why I am tempted to lie?<\/p>\n

To Cover My Tracks <\/strong><\/p>\n

I am tempted to lie to cover a mistake\u00a0or to hide something I did wrong.\u00a0In an effort not to get caught, it is\u00a0tempting to make up stories, stretching\u00a0the truth. It is when I don’t want people\u00a0to find out what really happened that I\u00a0think about covering my tracks.<\/p>\n

To Shift the Blame <\/strong><\/p>\n

If taking responsibility for my actions\u00a0will have negative effects, it is easier to\u00a0blame it on someone else. “I was just\u00a0following your orders.” “Isn’t that what\u00a0you wanted me to do?” “It’s not my\u00a0fault.” “The devil made me do it.” All are\u00a0said in an attempt to shift the blame.<\/p>\n

To Inflate My Status <\/strong><\/p>\n

I have to confess, I have lied (or at\u00a0least stretched the truth) to make myself\u00a0look better . . . especially at conventions\u00a0and conferences when I am\u00a0around my peers. Furthermore, it is\u00a0tempting to spread gossip about\u00a0someone else, thinking that by tearing\u00a0others down I will be lifted up. People\u00a0lie about how much money they\u00a0make, what their real jobs are, successes\u00a0they have had and how smart\u00a0they are. Even pastors are tempted to\u00a0be less than honest about church attendance in an effort to inflate status.<\/p>\n

To Protect Myself or Others <\/strong><\/p>\n

This may be the biggest area in\u00a0which people are tempted to lie. I do not\u00a0like to be hurt and I do not like to hurt\u00a0others. At times, I am tempted to stretch\u00a0the truth to spare their feelings. Instead\u00a0of lying, l need to learn to speak the truth\u00a0in love, and tell the truth in a tactful way.<\/p>\n

To Manipulate Others<\/strong><\/p>\n

I know there have been times when\u00a0I have used guilt or shame to get others\u00a0to do things I think they ought to do. Parents\u00a0force children into certain activities,\u00a0telling them how fun it will be, when in\u00a0reality, they want their children to participate\u00a0because it will make them look\u00a0good as parents. If l am not careful, as a\u00a0pastor, I can be tempted to manipulate\u00a0parishioners in order to get my way.<\/p>\n

God’s Attitude about Lying<\/strong><\/p>\n

Everyone hates lying, but people\u00a0don’t always see the big deal in telling\u00a0“harmless” lies. In reality, there are no\u00a0harmless lies; at least God doesn’t\u00a0think so. God takes a strong stand\u00a0against lying, stronger than most other\u00a0sins. What does God think of lying?<\/p>\n

God Hates Lying <\/strong><\/p>\n

God doesn’t hate the liar, but He\u00a0despises lying. The Bible says,\u00a0“These six things doth the Lord hate:\u00a0yea, seven are an abomination unto\u00a0him: A proud look, a lying tongue<\/em>,\u00a0and hands that shed innocent blood.\u00a0An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations,\u00a0feet that be swift in running\u00a0to mischief,A false witness that\u00a0spreadeth lies<\/em>, and he that soweth discord\u00a0among brethren<\/em>.” \u00a0Of the seven\u00a0things mentioned, four have to do\u00a0with lying.<\/p>\n

God Associates Lying with the Devil <\/strong><\/p>\n

Jesus said, “Ye are of your father\u00a0the devil, and the lusts of your father\u00a0ye will do. He was a murderer from\u00a0the beginning, and abode not in the\u00a0truth, because there is no truth in\u00a0him. When he speaketh a lie, he\u00a0speaketh of his own: for he is a liar,\u00a0and the father of it.” \u00a0Satan is the lying king<\/em>. When I lie, I\u00a0ashowingmy sinfulness. When I\u00a0lie, I am speaking the native language\u00a0of Satan. I can’t think of anything\u00a0worse than that!<\/p>\n

God Views All Lies as a Lie to Him <\/strong><\/p>\n

As a child, when I lied to my parents,\u00a0I was lying to God. When a husband\u00a0lies to his wife, he is lying to God.\u00a0When you lie to your boss, you are lying\u00a0to God. When I lie to myself, I am\u00a0lying to God. God takes lying seriously.<\/p>\n

The Ninth Habit<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Ninth Commandment said,\u00a0“Thou shalt not bear false witness\u00a0against thy neighbor.\u201d Thus, the habit\u00a0from this Commandment is as follows:\u00a0A highly successful person is completely\u00a0honest.<\/em>If I want to be successful, I\u00a0must be honest with my wife, my children,\u00a0my church, my God and myself.\u00a0I must recognize that honest is not the\u00a0best<\/em>policy; it is the only<\/em>policy. A successful\u00a0person can be counted on to\u00a0be honest at all times, no matter the situation,\u00a0no matter the consequences.<\/p>\n

God considers a half-truth to be a\u00a0whole lie. He considers a white lie to\u00a0be a dark sin. The only solution to lying\u00a0is repentance. Repentance means\u00a0changing my mind and agreeing with\u00a0God. That means I will treat lying as\u00a0seriously as God treats lying.<\/p>\n

The prophet Zechariah said, “These\u00a0are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye\u00a0every man the truth to his neighbor\u2026.” \u00a0The Apostle Paul wrote, “Lie not to\u00a0one another, seeing that ye have put\u00a0off the old man with his deeds.” A\u00a0highly successful person is\u00a0completely honest in all things.<\/p>\n

Article adapted from Contact<\/em>magazine, November 2002.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Part ten of an eleven-part series on \u201cHabits of Highly Successful People\u201d Habit #9 \u2013 A Successful Person is Completely Honest By Kevin Riggs The one Commandment that’s\u00a0universally broken is probably\u00a0the Ninth Commandment. I\u00a0would like to think that the\u00a0older I get the less lying is a\u00a0temptation. But whether it is a blatant\u00a0lie or a white lie, dishonesty and\u00a0deception are constant temptations. The Commandments Commandment Nine sounds negative,\u00a0“Thou shalt not bear false witness\u00a0against thy neighbor.\u201d Its implications,\u00a0however, are positive. At the\u00a0heart of this prohibition is an exhortation\u00a0to look out for one another’s reputation.\u00a0It is a reminder that I need to\u00a0defend people’s character, believing\u00a0the best about them. Specifically, the Ninth Commandment\u00a0has to do with the judicial system. If I am called to testify about\u00a0someone, it would be wrong to “bear\u00a0false witness,” To “bear false witness”\u00a0means to slander or say things that\u00a0are not fact, making empty accusations.\u00a0The general application behind\u00a0this Commandment is to be honest in\u00a0all situations. Ways People Lie I have met a few people who make\u00a0lying an art form. The thing about lying\u00a0is that after a while you start to believe\u00a0your own lie. Basically, I have observed\u00a0two ways people lie. Dishonesty Dishonesty means telling a blatant lie.\u00a0Dishonesty is spreading, saying or […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pastors"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nafwb.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nafwb.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nafwb.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nafwb.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nafwb.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4465"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nafwb.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4465\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4466,"href":"https:\/\/nafwb.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4465\/revisions\/4466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nafwb.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nafwb.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nafwb.org\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}