i have to be honest...

now james moves from the tongue back to wisdom and he asks a good question. chapter 3 verse 13 (ms) the question, do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? here's what you do: live well, live wisely, live humbly. it's the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts.

i love the bible. it not only asks the right questions, the questions i have deep inside of me but it also has the right answers. i don't want to be dumb in my relationships so how can i know if i'm wise in how i relate to people? james in 3.17 (niv) but the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure…

pure, what does pure mean? well, pure here means, uncorrupted, authentic. over in 1 john 3:3 this word is used to refer to CHRIST's character. his integrity.

so a person who is wise will not compromise his integrity. if i am really genuine, if i'm wise, i'm not going to lie to you, i'm not going to cheat you, i'm not going to manipulate you, i'm not going to be deceitful. i'll be a person of integrity because all relationships are built on trust and respect.

i 've never understood how the other woman in an adulterous relationship can really trust the man who cheated on his wife. now to me that is dumb. i've never understood why we should trust a politician or pastor who cheats on his partner. how can i have a relationship with someone who cheated me in some financial scheme? i can't. it is dumb. how can i as a child have a good relationship with my parents when they always go back on their promises? how can i really have a strong relationship with my husband or wife when they never do what they say they will do. they just keep putting me off. they are not people of their word.

listen, if you don't have honesty who's going to trust you? if you don't have honesty who's going to respect you? you have to have integrity in your life.

dr. leonard keeler, the man who invented the lie detector, tested 25,000 people and came to the conclusion that people are basically dishonest.

proverbs 10.9 (ms) honesty lives confident and carefree. an honest person is not afraid of being found out because he doesn't say one thing to one group and something else to another group.

someone said, "no one has a good enough memory to be an habitual liar." eventually you are going to slip up.

if you've got integrity you've got confidence, you can walk securely in your relationships. you know you're not putting people on. if i'm wise i will not compromise my integrity.

just some thoughts up here on the front porch…