Honesty: Your Best Policy

Mat 5:37 But let your word be, Yes, yes; No, no. For whatever is more than these comes from evil. NKJV

It is easier these days to tell a lie than say the truth. The consequences of saying the truth are more pleasant and therefore more desirable than speaking the truth. Sometimes you must resist pressure from colleagues in order to say the truth. But the consequences of not being frank are long lasting, even though they are negative.

If you say ‘YES’ today, instead of ‘NO’, you must be ready to keep saying ‘YES’ when that particular question comes up. The day you say ‘NO’, you should be ready to provide explanations which make you unreliable. Once you obtain that attribute of unreliability, even those who encouraged you to lie will doubt you the next time you speak.

The world is looking for honest people to do business with. It is better to say NO and be free than to say you will do something and fail when you know you can’t do it. It is better to refuse a job with tight deadline than to take it and disappointed the client.

Let your yes be YES, and those who hate you today will praise you years later for being honest. But if you try to be nice, those you are trying to please today will be the first to condemn you.

Let your yes be a big YES, and when you must say no, fear not. Let your no be NO.