HONESTY: THE PRECISION OF TRUTH

Recently, I was asked to teach a “Youth & Government” Class at the YMCA, where I chose one of their four core values. I chose to define “Honesty.”

Honesty. It’s one of those words in our Four Cores that sometimes feels more like an offensive weapon than something that requires responsibility on our part.

If we’re being honest, out of all the Four Cores, honesty sometimes seems like the one that requires the least amount of responsibility. At least, that’s how it can feel to me.

Caring about someone requires action. It means you actually have to go and do something. Responsibility means being held accountable, and when you do something wrong, there may even be consequences.

But honesty? Sometimes, at least in my own heart, it feels like honesty is something we just get to swing around like a sword. We get to tell people when they’re wrong, put them in their place, and say what needs to be said.

But if we’re going to be honest, maybe we need to start with our own hearts.

The Bible has a lot to say about honesty and how we serve a God of truth. In fact, I believe my Four Core speech last year was on honesty as well. I tried my hardest to find something else to talk about, but this actually seemed like the one that was talked about the least this year, and I didn’t want it to feel lacking.

So instead of going through all the biblical passages showing us that God, in His very nature, is truth, and that we’re called to communicate that truth to others, what I’d like to focus on tonight is something a little different.

The precision of truth.

You see, the Bible actually gives us a challenge when it comes to having answers.

Colossians 4:6 says:

“Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”

Look at that big word, OUGHT.

That’s a beautiful challenge from the Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, reminding us that we don’t just get to be who we are and say whatever first comes to our minds.

Now, we absolutely need to walk with godly conviction. We need to stand for the truth and speak when necessary. But when we speak, we don’t get to be a jerk simply because we have the truth and think everybody in the room needs to hear it.

Peter tells us something very similar in 1 Peter 3:15:

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”

Notice that. We’re called to defend the truth, but we’re also told how we’re supposed to do it.

And Peter actually takes this a step further. In 1 Peter 3:17 he says:

“For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”

And then in 1 Peter 4:15–16, he tells us:

“But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.”

You see, Peter is making an important distinction here.

There’s a difference between suffering for righteousness’ sake and suffering because you’re being a jerk.

Sometimes Christians get themselves into trouble because of how they speak to people, how they treat people, or how they conduct themselves. And then when somebody pushes back, they want to claim they’re being persecuted for standing for the truth.

But hold on a second. Are you actually suffering for righteousness’ sake, or are you suffering because you were being rude and obnoxious?

Because those are two very different things.

You don’t get to be a jerk to somebody and then claim you’re being persecuted for Jesus.

And that’s important because sometimes we can convince ourselves that as long as we’re standing for righteousness, it doesn’t really matter how we treat people.

But that’s not what Scripture teaches.

Take me, for example.

I’m a big, giant teddy bear. I’m as gentle as a little bunny rabbit and I’m no different than when you look at Maya. And when all of you see me, I’m sure the first thing that comes to your mind is, “Wow, that is probably the nicest, sweetest person on the face of the earth.”

Okay, since we’re talking about honesty, let’s actually be honest here.

The common story I’ve heard from quite a few people in this group, especially some of you students, is that when you first met me, you thought I was super intimidating.

People see my size, my straight face, this giant bald man with a beard, and apparently think I’m getting ready to take somebody’s head off.

And listen, that’s a gifting God has given me.

Because He knew I was going to have five daughters, and any boy who comes around my house should fear and tremble before he even considers doing anything remotely close to disrespecting one of them.

Pause and wink.

But here’s the thing.

Just because that’s my demeanor doesn’t mean I get to come across as brutish, rude, or loud simply because “that’s just the way I am.”

The Bible actually calls the Word of God a sword in Ephesians 6:17. The Greek word used there is machaira, which refers to a sword or large knife, often a shorter weapon used in close combat.

And I think there’s a beautiful picture here when we’re talking about the precision of truth.

When wielding the truth, we don’t get to just swing it around recklessly like some giant sword, hitting everybody around us, and then turn around and say, “Well, sorry, that’s just what swords do.”

No!

The truth is meant to be handled with precision.

And isn’t it interesting that Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:16 to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves?

The goal isn’t to destroy the individual. It’s to deal with the actual problem.

And funny enough, it all starts with the heart.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 12:34:

“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

So when our mouths open, if we’re not first dealing with honesty in our own hearts, learning how to be precise in what we say, and making sure that what comes out of our mouths reflects the heart of God, then I think we’ve missed something incredibly important about the truth.

And here’s another thing.

The truth is naturally offensive to people who don’t want it.

It’s no different than darkness running from the light.

You don’t need to make the truth sharper or more offensive in order for it to do its job better.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “You don’t need to defend a lion in a cage. You just need to let it out.”

The truth doesn’t need us to make it more powerful by being obnoxious.

It needs us to be faithful in how we communicate it.

The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away, and behold, all things have become new.

If you’re a born again Christian, you no longer get to say, “Well, I’m just a giant bald bearded man, and that’s just how I talk.”

Or, “That’s just my personality.”

Or, “People just need to get over it because I’m telling the truth.”

No!

God has given us His Holy Spirit to lead and direct us, to help us think through what we say, how we say it, and how we ought to answer each individual.

Remember that word from Colossians?

OUGHT.

There’s a responsibility there.

Every situation is an opportunity to minister to another image bearer of God and point that person directly to their Creator.

That goes for you students when you’re dealing with people in Youth and Government.

It goes for you parents when you’re talking to your children, leading them, correcting them, and raising them in the training and admonition of the Lord.

And it goes for us husbands when we’re communicating with our wives, instead of stomping our feet and behaving like children because we think we’re right.

The Bible tells us in Romans 12:18:

“If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”

Think about that.

As much as depends on YOU.

That means there’s a responsibility on our part.

We can’t control how everybody responds to the truth. We can’t make everybody agree with us. And we certainly can’t make everybody like us.

But we can control how we communicate, how we conduct ourselves, and whether we’re actually representing the Lord Jesus Christ in the process.

And I think that’s something we all need to be reminded of.

Our goal this year should be honesty.

And for some of you who are naturally meek and gentle, maybe this isn’t as much of a struggle.

But for some of you who think Youth and Government is an opportunity to walk into a room and start bombing everybody with the truth, putting people in their place, winning every argument, and potentially ruining your testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ in the process, I pray you hear this encouragement.

Love the truth. Desire to share the truth. Stand firm on the truth.

But recognize that the person standing in front of you is not your enemy.

They’re an image bearer of God.

And the truth you’re communicating isn’t supposed to be some weapon you use to prove how right you are.

It’s supposed to point people to the One who is truth.

Jesus Christ.

The same Jesus who came into this world, died for our sins, and rose again so that sinners like you and me could be reconciled to God.

And if that’s the truth we’re representing, shouldn’t the way we communicate it reflect the One who gave it to us?

So be honest.

But start with your own heart.

Learn to be precise with your words. Know when to speak, how to speak, and why you’re speaking in the first place.

Because the goal isn’t simply to be right.

The goal is to communicate the truth in a way that honors the Lord and points people to Jesus Christ.