How many times have you heard someone say this key phrase; "the truth is" before filling it with happy talk or some false rhetoric of their own? The real truth is many people, including leaders, start off comments like this in an effort to substantiate what they are saying to be reality. In another way of putting it, they are often attempting to manipulate or deceive those who are listening. Truth telling starts within the individual, and it's going to get tied to their credibility, and is a reflection of their character. The more they sway from the truth, or the more times they try to impress others with happy talk, the less believable they become, and thus their credibility suffers. Often times people just don't want to get honest with themselves, and thus they can not be truthful with others. This is actually a very important issue for everyone, because it is the truth that will set you free. Truth telling can be very liberating, it frees you of inner obstacles, it requires that you humble yourself, helps you to accept the fact that you are not perfect, (that you too make mistakes), which allows you to quit being so hard on yourself, and thus leaves room for growth development. For understanding purposes, I invite you to watch the videos below. These videos will help you with discernment, helping you to understand when someone is trying to pull the wool over your eyes, or visa versa.
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Credibility & Happy Talk, (Often Referred To As BS) |
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Truth Telling |
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Keys To Truth Telling |
Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence. (Proverbs 15:32). If a wise man goes to court with a fool, the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace. (Proverbs 29:9). It is senseless to pay tuition to educate a fool, since he has no heart for learning. (Proverbs 17:16). Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding. (Proverbs 23:23). The difference in a fool and a wise man is that a fool forms his ideas, then studies for facts to substantiate them, while the wise man studies to learn the truth first.
And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation
from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. (2 Peter 2:3)
For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites.
By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. (Romans 16:18)
In order for you to be honest with others, you must first be honest with yourself and with God.