In Matthew 5:33-37, Jesus addresses honesty by explaining that God’s people should be defined by their simple, honest speech. Every word should be just as truthful as if he or she sore an oath. Is there an area of your life that is currently not driven by honesty? What if we were to look at the scriptures as an invitation to speak the truth even when it’s painful and to keep our promises even when it’s inconvenient? Honesty matters because we are always under oath. We are under oath when we make a promise to our child or commit to plans with a friend. We are under oath when we tell our co-worker or boss we will complete a project. Let every word that comes out of our mouths be truthful.

Practice truth telling. Here are two specific challenges for living an authentic, honest life this week.

1. Hear the truth from someone. Allow yourself to hear feedback and receive it graciously. This may mean examining a specific area of your life that you’d otherwise prefer to keep hidden.
2. Speak the truth to someone. This may be telling someone what they don’t want to hear or allowing yourself to be vulnerable with people that care about you.

Book Recommendation:
Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Calhoun

Verse for the Week: Ephesians 4:25