It’s funny how at LEAST once a month, a situation will come up where an individual ASSURES me that a task has been taken care of.
No WORRIES, they’ve got it covered!
THEN they immediately leave my office to go and actually DO the thing they just told me was already DONE.
What difference does it make?
Under pressure, maybe you’ve made a judgment call like that and told a “little white lie” to COVER yourself.
You granted yourself just a little bit of GRACE. (After all, you were PLANNING on taking care of it…right?)
But later, you may realize that the thing you actually compromised was your INTEGRITY. And YES, that DOES make a huge difference!
Ouch!!!
Did that last statement CUT just a little bit? Have I OFFENDED you yet?
Wouldn’t you rather be asked these tough questions in the SAFETY of this blog, instead of in front of your friend, your spouse or even your boss?
Even worse, is when the other people know the TRUTH and you’ve lost trust with them…and YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW IT!
Wouldn’t you rather know about a wound so you can take care of it, instead of letting it FESTER under the surface?
The Never-Ending Story
As the OTHER person in the relationship, as the individual who finds out what really happened later; on THIS side of the fence it just feels like being LIED to.
• Now we have a break in TRUST.
• Lack of trust leads to more QUESTIONS and more follow-up.
• CONFIDENCE has eroded and it now affects our ability to promote.
How do we fix it?
Believe it or not, the best way to fix it is to FESS UP and COME CLEAN! Be HONEST and expose your own shortcomings.
After all, who could resist hearing, “I didn’t tell you the truth and I’m SORRY. It won’t happen again.”
When we continue to defend ourselves for doing something that doesn’t SPEAK of integrity, we’re just giving our POWER away.
It’s amazing, that when we humble ourselves and ADMIT it, QUIT it and FORGET it, we get all our CREDIBILITY back.
“…God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6 (NKJV)
I don’t really expect to get a lot of comments on this blog. (It hits pretty close to home.)
But sometimes this is a great space to generate some constructive learning conversations.
Got thoughts? Agree? Disagree?
Hi Nicole,
Great input!!
Great sins or lesser sins. Big lies or small lies. It all come to the same. Avoid it or admit it. By asking for forgiveness you ask for a new trust in you.
“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
— Mark Twain
So true Anders! And what a phenomenal quote by Mark Twain!
Perfectly said! The realness is what people need to hear. And you and your husband deliver everything in such a manor that is not offensive and speaks with such Love and grace. We appreciate all you guys do and are doing! Thanks for being You! God bless your family! 🙂
Luke Woolhouse
Honesty is always the best policy. 🙂
Couldn’t have said it better myself! 🙂
This is very good. I agree with it completely. White lies really kill a relationship both business and personal. I am unfortunately have been guilty also. I have learned the truth is always better. It does take a lot to have to call a client back and say I forgot, I got sidetracked, sometimes it feels easier to just tell a (little white lie) yet I have learned that the Truth is always best, they may be upset but it’s hard to be really upset with someone who is being honest and if they are upset and you lose a client at least I know I have I have been honest with them and myself. Good reminder of how the other person (who is being lied too) feels. Still the temptation is great to just tell the white lie (they’d never know) but would they? Thanks for the post
Gwen – such a great perspective on this subject and a great outlook on the potential outcomes of being honest!
Thank you Nicole! better to hear it from you from a place of LOVE…..as always I appreciate your teaching!
Love it Pastor Nicole….. Honesty is the best… I really have to watch myself because I can over schedule and I say I will get things done. I then delegate and then I dont follow-up…..Then telling the customer something was done without me following up… I’m trying to work on time management myself. Thanks so much for the blog…. I believe telling the truth and integrity are two of the most important things of building a business…..Little bitty fibs can lead to big lies if not careful…….
Kelley
Read this and went WOW. I am retired now and although I don’t have projects to complete my heart still leaped when I read this. Thank you so much for always wanting us to keep our word or integrity in the Holy Spirit. Its good to get great counseling no matter where its done.
Valerie – so incredibly happy that this blog rang true for you! Makes my heart smile. 🙂