This morning we will approach the 3rd character trait of a faithful life – honesty.
Walking in truth is key to the virtuous and fruitful life and this is vastly important as our world becomes more filled with deceit, half-truths, double-speak and error. Let’s remember some things today…
“1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. 2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness (BOLDNESS IN DIFFICULTY) in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict (FOCUS ON PRIORITIES). 3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive (HONESTY), 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts (LOYALTY TO GOD). 5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed— God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children (SERVANTHOOD). 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us (APPRECIATION). 9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God (HARD WORK). 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers (INTEGRITY). 11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory (CHALLENGING OTHERS). 13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers (GRATITUDE).” – 1 Thessalonians 2:1-13
HONESTY
We are born liars. Both of my children told me lies before they were three years old and neither of them took a course to train them how to do so. I spent the first 24 years of my life living a lie and telling as many as i could frame. Self preservation, self focus and self exaltation are at the core of our fallen nature and the our clinging to lies is necessary for those dreadful characteristics to flourish. Then God graciously saves us and ransoms us from the dungeon. We are set free from ourselves and given the nature of the One who called Himself the Truth. We now hunger and thirst for righteousness and that which is patently honest. The inner alarm goes off immediately when we take what is right and mold it for our own favor. We can no longer lie without feeling the inner dagger. Something beautiful, yet confining, has occurred within: we are people of truthful integrity. We’ve been made honest.
From the preacher to the politician to the professor – we live in an age of liars.
Unfortunately we are somewhat used to it now. It takes a whole lot more to scandalize my generation than it did my father’s generation. A disastrous byproduct of this trend is that people who name the name of Jesus Christ feel comfortable with unrealistic exaggeration. Shading the truth to avoid conflict or exposure has now become commonplace. Ours is a manipulative generation and many no longer blush at adjusting the facts to reach a desired end. Whether it is the tweaking of resumes or the cover-ups of indiscretions, mankind is adept at avoiding honesty when it suits him. Recently I received an unsolicited email from a company offering me a digital download that will prevent anyone from knowing where I’ve been surfing on the internet. I’m sure there are hoards of people who would love to erase their tracks in life so that they will appear to be something that they aren’t in case anyone desires to check up on them. My friend, let us look at mishandling the truth in this way: each time we lie, we slap the Savior upon the cheek. When we operate in half-truths to promote our agenda we ask the Almighty to please leave the room. If we seek to deceive we are intaking poison and calling it refreshing water. Let’s get real and aim to live as Paul proclaimed to the Thessalonians concerning his approach to life and ministry. He told them, “For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive…” He courageously spoke the truth, lived with nothing to hide, valued his own words as being tools for building up others and…went to bed with a clean conscience. May we be able to do the same when we lay down this evening.