Written by Pastor Jack Wellman“If you are honest and frank people will try to cheat you: Be honest anyway.”
– Mother Teresa
Commentary
Honesty is the best policy. No less than Mother Teresa said something to that effect. She said that even if people try to cheat you, be honest anyway. In other words, honesty is its own reward. Honesty doesn’t depend on reciprocity from other people to be true. It is its own truth. Here are three reasons why honesty is the best policy and why you should continue to be completely honest and frank regardless of what other people try to do to you.
Honesty Reason #1: Truth is easier to remember
You have to hand it to accomplished liars because they have amazing memories. It takes nothing short of amazing memories to keep track of all the lies one tells and track which circumstances or question prompt certain lies. If you don’t like having to remember and keep track of all the fibs you’ve told, get rid of all that hassle by telling the truth at all times and circumstances. Truth is easy to remember and doesn’t involve being weighed down by the heavy load of having to keep your story straight. Eventually, the truth comes out anyway so why not just tell the truth all the time.
Honesty Reason #2: The Truth sets you free
The truth is like sunlight. It might be harsh on the eyes at first. It might even cause certain things to fade due to its brightness. However, always walking in the sunlight means you don’t have to hide in the shadows. You don’t have to carry heavy emotional burdens. You can feel free and unashamed. It also allows you to walk about proudly with a lot of energy since you’re not wasting all that energy hiding and slinking around.
Honesty Reason #3: People respect you more
You might think that you are protecting people’s feelings by lying to them but you are only building up the level of disappointment they will have with you when the truth comes out. The truth always comes out so why not just tell the truth? When you tell the unvarnished truth people will respect you more. You will stand out from the crowd as the person who always tells it the way it truly is. You aren’t really gaining anyone’s respect when you lie to them-you are only assuring that they will hate you even more when they find out that you were lying to them.
The truth is its own reward. Bask in its rays today and live a happier and more fulfilled life.
