Honesty

I try to be honest with others but sometimes it is hard. There are those that can't handle the truth.

Well, I just listen to the spirit inside me and it usually tells me the truth. Sometimes I mention the truth being told to me, sometimes I just don’t say anything.

I believe if I feel like I have to lie to somebody, I have already failed somewhere else. If I am in a situation where I feel like I must tell somebody something that is not true, there is somewhere else I should have done something else before it came to this point.

Are you honest with others?

Are you not afraid to be honest with someone, even if it may hurt you or that other person?

Are you honest with others, to where you may even lose a friendship over it?

In the Bible it talks about:

Proverbs 27:6, which states, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy." This proverb highlights the value of honest and constructive criticism from a true friend, even if it may be difficult to hear. Such honesty is ultimately beneficial and comes from a place of love and care.

In contrast, the "kisses of an enemy" represent insincere flattery or deceitful behavior that may seem pleasant but ultimately lacks genuine concern for your well-being. This verse encourages us to appreciate and seek out relationships where truth and love are prioritized, even when it involves difficult conversations. It aligns with the biblical principle of speaking the truth in love, as mentioned in Ephesians 4:15, which helps us grow and mature in our relationships.

1. yes. not honest when it's a matter of protection in which someone is too soft in character to receive the truth.
2. not afraid to be honest. i'm used to that because associates, friends & acquaintances i know can handle truth just like CC members know truth.
3. funny, because that has happened to me. wow! whether it was of help to someone or just plane honesty, i have lost contact with people.

I confronted my friend about his porn and massage parlor sex sins maybe like a year ago and he never spoke to me again.
I even reached out to him today and haven't heard from him.

and things like this are what makes us hesitate to be totally honest at times.

we want to, but knowing it will likely get a negative ( at times very negative) outcomes can make total 100% honesty hard to do.

We both shared our struggles with pornography and it just seemed like he never wanted to take my advice. So once I was free from it, I didn’t want to be sucked back into that sin, so I cut him loose. “If your right hand causes you to sin, chop if off?” or something like that but in this case, instead of a hand, it was a friend.

When you hang out with alcoholics, you become an alcoholic. Same goes with any other addiction.

yeah, i feel that.

when i was in my early 20's, i had a wild friend who wanted to go out, get drunk, chase girls, stay out half the night.

then i got saved, and began to lose interest in doing those things. just stopped hanging out with him. no big argument, just a couple of tense phone convos, and that was that.

last time i saw him, several years ago, he seemed to be living a similar lifestyle..

That friend sounded like me.

In 2014 I got saved and when I saw that friend again in early 2019, I sadly got really drunk for the first time in 5 years. So that same friend that left my life in my early 20’s, saw me back slide for the first time in 5 years, so he probably assumed the same thing you have with your friend.

I immediately stopped drinking alcohol after that day. What God allows us to see, isn’t always the reality of someone’s existence. The devil and his demons will use other past friends, to influence and tempt Jesus’ followers, into doing some pretty destructive behavior, knowing that it’ll ruin our witness to others.

I to this day don’t hangout with those people. They aren’t my friends, they are my enemies.

Anyone not pointing you to Christ, is your enemy.

That friend sounded like me.

In 2014 I got saved and when I saw that friend again in early 2019, I sadly got really drunk for the first time in 5 years. So that same friend that left my life in my early 20’s, saw me back slide for the first time in 5 years, so he probably assumed the same thing you have with your friend.

I immediately stopped drinking alcohol after that day. What God allows us to see, isn’t always the reality of someone’s existence. The devil and his demons will use other past friends, to influence and tempt Jesus’ followers, into doing some pretty destructive behavior, knowing that it’ll ruin our witness to others.

I to this day don’t hangout with those people. They aren’t my friends, they are my enemies.

Anyone not pointing you to Christ, is your enemy.

Wow , your last statement hit me right between the eyes 😲 . I heard that right through my body . I just realised I have way more enemies than friends based on what u just said . Thank you for that . I still have to b in this world but not of it . Don't go to church any more , my best Christian friends were older than me and have died , I have just one or two family members who call themselves Christians , they talk the talk but to me , they r not walking the walk . Alcohol and drugs and materialism have so many people wrapped up in chains . Thanks again for that kick up the backside ! 😉