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Keeping it Real-Honestly

Hebrews 13:18 Pray for us: for we trust we have good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.

Honesty is the best policy. Almost all clichés are true. This particular one is definitely true. There are several reasons to strive to live honestly in all things. The bible does not say in some things. It does not say in most things. It clearly says in all things live honestly. Truthfulness is accurately reporting the facts to earn future trust. A popular childhood story teaches this concept beautifully. The story of the boy who cries wolf tells a story about the importance of truthfulness, trust and honest in all things. To quickly summarize the fable for anyone who is not familiar--- there was a boy who lived in a country or farm town. The town was having problems with wolves preying on the town sheep. A young boy runs to the men of the town to report that a wolf was in the area of the sheep. When the men arrive the boy laughs because he has played a joke on the men. There is no wolf. He does the exact same thing on another day and this time he angers the men greatly. After twice falsely alarming the townsmen, a wolf actually comes to devour the sheep herd. As he screams and cries to the men a third time they all laugh and tell him to get lost. All of the sheep are eaten and the boy learns a terrible lesson the hard way. Sheep have to be the slowest and dumbest animals in the world. They let one wolf eat them all. They only needed to band together and kick the lone wolf’s butt. Seriously, the true lesson was that one of the worst things in life is to be telling the truth and nobody believes you. Let’s simplify the moral. Have you ever told a parent, teacher or coach something that was the truth but they didn’t seem to believe you? The reason that they doubted you was because your reputation or your previous actions preceded the event. You have been known to lie in the past or simply lied to them. Acts of deception will always lead to bad results. Do not bear false witness is God’s directive. Another old saying which a lot of students tend to dispute is “if a person will lie they will cheat and if they will cheat they will steal”. The bottom line in each case is dishonesty and the issue of trust. Your teammates must trust you in order to establish the much needed bond in team sports. One of the largest threats to a team is mistrust and/or accusations among teammates. A devastating occurrence similar to the wolf in the sheep herd is a thief in the locker room. You must be able to trust your emotions, commitment and personal belongings in the hands of your teammates.

It is very clear in the Bible that if you cheat in the seemingly small matters, the larger responsibilities will yield dishonesty also. This is the reason for the lie, cheat; steal sequence, which is almost always true. The issue is our theme throughout our lessons---character. Character does not change to fit the situation. Character does not change because we want to believe it will. Those of us who believe that a little white lie or cheating just a little on a test does not exemplify our character is only lying to themselves. When you don’t condition and/or prepare to the best of your ability, for a test or a contest, you are truly cheating yourself and/or your teammates. You must begin to realize that God does not want you to lie or cheat yourself in any situation. The reality is very simple. Any person who will lie to themselves will lie to any and everybody. If a person would knowingly cheat themselves they will cheat on the larger things. People lacking honesty in their character will always have problems when the pressure comes. When the time to step up to the next level presents itself the character flaw will always, and I mean always surface. Arguably the most important feature of practicing honesty in what seems like small matters is earning future trust. Honesty in the small things builds the character needed for the greater things in God. He wants you to be a living example for others to see and model. It is easy to see that the people who exude honesty in their character possess wonderful lives and blessed futures. Psalms 37:37 NIV

                                                                                                                     Fred Tudor

Fred Tudor is a eighteen year employee of the Cincinnati Public Schools as a Health and Physical Education teacher. He has been coaching at the high school level in Greater Cincinnati since graduating from Wittenberg University in 1979. His coaching stints includes stops at his alma mater Walnut Hills High School, Hughes Center High School, and from 1990 until present coaches at Wyoming High School. His church home is Cincinnati Bibleway Church in Madisonville, Apostles James and Grace Blue Pastors.

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