(Continuing the general direction of hopeful and tangible ways each of us can continue to be Gospel in these times, this thought: We can embody the best and most hopeful elements of what’s good and godly. Today, exemplifying truth.)
You and I could fill our daily conversations with fulminations about the overwhelming presence of falsehood in today’s society. (Short version: It’s everywhere, living inside of too many of us!) Our fuming might let out some steam, but when the steam dissipates, falsehoods remain. The problem won’t be solved.
To counter the presence of lying, phoniness, deception, foolishness, insincerity, hypocrisy, sham, quackery or misinformation (gasping for emotional air), I want to pledge myself to be truth. To personify what it means to be honest. By my probity, to counter all that falseness gathers around itself. That effort might start with questions like these….
How can I be careful about exaggerating? What (or who) might help me get details right? Are there any ways I can get better at using words carefully and sparingly? What mindset keeps me open and vulnerable to others’ truths? What does it take to admit when I’m wrong? How well do I keep my promises? How do I keep from speaking/writing before I think about my words? When I’m with people who want the truth, how can I speak/write plainly? And when I’m around falsifiers, what are the best, most probing questions? How do I remind myself never to start any sentence with the over-reaching promises of “To tell the truth…” or “Honestly…”? Who could teach me to have a truthful mindset?
The way I figure it, truth-telling starts with my own behaviors. Before I lambast prevaricators, I can work on my own honesty—the deep-down kind that infuses all my interactions with others. If I exemplify truthfulness, it might spread to someone else.
Then I won’t be satisfied only with condemning liars….
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