Honesty

You See What You Get

Have you ever met someone who is blunt and open, yet hard to read at the same time?

Sometimes those people are honest and what you see is what you get, so they’re hard to read simply because there’s nothing lingering in the background. It’s all out front.

I think this describes Jesus. He was blunt, honest, and open. He was transparent. He had no agenda other than doing God’s work. He was discerning, and He brought grace, mercy, and salvation through the cross. Yet many didn’t know how to take Him or even understand what He was saying at times, and because of that, they were against Him.

We are to be more like Jesus, and I think I would rather live this life with a “what you see is what you get” approach than be someone who is hiding things.

I’m pretty much a what-you-see-is-what-you-get person. I’m not open in the sense that I need to share everything or that I talk and talk and talk. I’m more the type who, if someone asks me a question and I feel comfortable, will be open and honest. I believe where there is honesty, there must also be discernment.

We have to be mindful of our words and what we share so we aren’t just talking to hear ourselves talk. When we do that, we may find that no one is willing to listen or hear us out.

Proverbs 18:20–21 says, “Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”

Our words carry weight. They carry weight not only for others but for us as well. We can say things we don’t mean. We can even speak negatively about ourselves. And once words are spoken, we can’t take them back.

What is said reveals what we believe — even if it’s buried deep down and we don’t realize it. Once something is spoken out loud, it has power, and our hearts can begin to accept it as truth.

The Bible says the tongue is like a sharp, two-edged sword and that we must keep it from speaking evil. It says the tongue is the hardest thing to tame.

All of that is true.

So, when we are being honest, we must make sure we are speaking truth and not just blurting out whatever comes to mind. We need to speak in love and kindness, but also with firmness and correction if necessary — always with a discerning heart, making sure we are speaking what God wants from us.

I have to tell my kids this all the time: “You need to filter and not say everything that comes to mind.”

This is important because if we aren’t careful, others may find us unreliable or untrustworthy. As Christ-followers, that is not how we help others come to know and see Christ within us.

Like I mentioned earlier, we are to be like Christ. That means being honest but also discerning, just as He was.

Proverbs 15:4 says, “Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”

I know we want to live lives that are pleasing to God, and the way to do that is to let the Spirit of the Lord guide us and speak through us. There is wisdom when we allow the Lord to be the One who speaks honestly through us and to us.

So be honest — but let the Lord lead.