FCA Impact Play:
HONESTY
READY:
“Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” –Matthew 5:37
SET:
Jesus
does not excuse our lack of truthfulness just because it is hard
to be truthful, or because we might get into trouble. He
commands that we be truthful, and when we have not, we need to
correct the false impression we have given. But honesty is not
just about the words we speak, it is about the person we are. As
I have tried to think carefully about this passage, there are
three attributes of inner character that I believe are involved.
The first is: Simplicity. Jesus said: “Keep it
simple let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything
beyond this comes from the evil one.” Why did Jesus say that
anything beyond this comes from the evil one? Because as He was
speaking to a group of hypocritical religious leaders of His
day, He said to them: “You belong to your father, the devil, and
you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer
from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no
truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for
he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). So when we lie
we are speaking the devil’s language and becoming like him. We
are to “tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the
truth” indeed telling the truth is to live simply, speak simply,
the simple truth. You are to be a person who has an honest
character.
The second character attribute involved in
honesty is: Transparency. Transparency is defined as “free of
deceit, easily detected or seen, obvious” - this attribute is
closely related to humility. You don’t have to pretend to be
something you’re not. What you see is what you get. Only when we
come to Christ and have a relationship with God do we begin to
have substance. We are not just keeping up appearances, we are
developing a quality of character. Being a Christian means being
real.
The Bible says, “.
. . walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship
with one another” (1 John 1:7). You have to walk in the light if
you are going to be transparent. Honesty means that we let
people in on who we are — even if it means showing that we are
less than perfect. Even if it means admitting that we have
problems, or that we are broken in some places.
Christians know that it is okay to be
transparent, because they have been open and transparent with
God and experienced full acceptance. It is that acceptance that
gives them the courage and freedom to be open with others, even
if they are not totally accepted. They have been forgiven and
accepted by the most important Person in the universe, and it
has freed them to be who they are. It is their motivation to
keep their lives free from dishonesty and moral compromise.
The third character attribute involved in honesty
is: Integrity. Honesty is what you do, but integrity is who you
are. Integrity comes from the word meaning entire or whole. It
means that you are not going two ways at once — not living a
double life. We live in a culture where denial and
double-mindedness is the norm. But there’s another culture
that’s growing within the present where truth reigns. It’s the
kingdom of God. It’s the place where Jesus says, “If you hold to
my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the
truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). The
Christian life isn’t merely a set of beliefs or moral values.
The Christian life is a way of living, a lifestyle. It is a way
of knowing the truth, being set free by the truth and living by
the truth.
Our culture says that truth is whatever you
sincerely believe, but you can sincerely believe in something
and be sincerely wrong. There is truth and your life needs to be
lived in the truth. I pray that you will see the truth, believe
the truth and live the truth, that you will live with
simplicity, transparency and integrity in Jesus.
Upward bound,
Coach Street
GO:
1.
When
is it most difficult to be truthful, to be honest?
2.
How
are lies destructive in the lives of people you know?
3.
Read
John 14:6. What did Jesus mean when he said he was the Truth?
WORKOUT:
John 3:19-21; 1 John 2:4; John 8:44
OVERTIME:
Lord, may my life lived out in Your truth with simplicity,
transparency and integrity. Amen.
