Wisdomfied part 17-Honesty

Prepare Your Heart: Read Luke 8:15-17.  What references to wisdom are in this passage?  What will happen at the end that will be revealed?  Spend some time in prayer about your personal honesty.

Honesty is one of those areas in life that we all know of, but doesn’t always take a priority in life, as it’s easy to cover up.  It seems almost acceptable to exaggerate, tell white lies, keep the whole truth from people, etc.  Our culture has a greed and entitlement- mindset and it’s easy as a Christian to get caught up in following how everyone else is living in regards to being honest.  As a kid I thought that honesty was simply not telling lies.  Later on, my view of what being honest was expanded through a Crown Ministries study.  This organization exists to help people become proper stewards of how God teaches through His word to manage money, much like the well-known Dave Ramsey.  Before looking at the practical matters of money management, we studied concepts such as God’s ownership of everything and living honesty.  One of the things I realized was that it was stealing to use materials at my work for personal use.  Sometimes I would make photocopies for personal reasons.  Only a page here and there.  It wasn’t hurting anyone, or was it? It made me realize that before God I wanted to be as honest and truthful as possible, to be upright in all things so my witness wouldn’t be disqualified.  In God’s sight there is really no big or small things when it comes to honesty and small lies are still lies!  It is almost because deception permeates our culture that some view some dishonesty as acceptable.  I’ve also struggled with exaggerating to make myself look better than I really am.  Also dishonest. 

Let’s look at what Proverbs says about honesty in the following areas listed below.  Take notes on what you learn.  Then reflect on your own life and ask God to reveal to you any areas where you are not being fully honest.  What steps do you need to do to correct that?

Truthfulness

·         12:20

·         13:5

·         24:26

·         26:18,19

Charging others

·         10:2

·         11:1

·         13:11

·         16:11

·         20:10, 17,21, 23

Boundaries

·         22:28

·         23:10,11

Bribery

·         15:27

·         17:8,23

·         21:14