Be Real. Be Honest

Something I believe in is talking candidly and honestly without fear of what others might think.  It should be for another's benefit to let them know of something that is usually hard to discuss. It is good to express sincere thoughts and opinions that are intended to be helpful. The two are not necessarily always inclusive but it is good to actually mean what you are saying and learn from each other.  Real talk is about things that are meaningful which is the opposite of what seems to be on Facebook.   

There is something funny about honesty.  We often wrongly assign honesty to one we admire, but sadly, honesty is a characteristic not inherent or natural in humanity. To be truly and completely honest with someone, one must first be truly and completely honest with oneself. A lot of times we are incapable of seeing past our own fears, desires, prejudices, convictions, emotional attachments, memories, and flawed perceptions. It is hard viewing things without our filtered reality. Every single conclusion a person comes to is first carefully screened and reviewed through a series of subconscious unrelated facets of collective reasoning. Most people are not truly and completely honest with themselves and so cannot be truly and completely honest with others. The best anyone can hope to give is their honest opinion.

Something I have run into over and over again are people that do not go to church anymore because of other people. It is so sad but true that a lot of times the reason people have no desire to go to church or care anymore about church is because the people they viewed as real and honest people disappointed them or hurt them.  It is like we forgot that really the way they perceive things and act or react is based on their experiences. We get offended, feel judged, and then we judge in return. 

I believe that for the most part Christian people mean well and are not out to hurt others or have the wrong agenda.  If we each would have a little more mercy and patience with others then we would see the truth more often behind what people mean when they say the things they say. And we must also realize we are all flawed just as we need to admit we are. We should not uplift people in such a high place that when that mess up in affects our faith and our ability to worship God and to come together for a purpose that is greater than ourselves. 

I have personally been disappointed so many times. If we would be honest, are we any better?  Don’t we all fall short?

The key is to keep our eyes on Jesus and still continue to be as real and honest as we can with our lives.  God is still God and he has never changed and does not disappoint.  God is the only constant we can rely on.  He is always worthy of our praise and he has called us together for a purpose greater than our level of honesty, greater than any opinion, and greater than all the things this world has to offer. For sure he is greater than our offenses, hurts, hang-ups, mistakes, and sins. 

You should strive to stay in good character no matter how others act or what they do. The only one you can control is yourself. Just do what you are suppose to be doing. Be nice because you are nice not because they are nice.  Serve God because you love and serve a worthy God not because others do or don’t. Love others because you choose to love them not because they love you or for what they can do for you. Stay in right standing before God because you love and have faith in the Lord not because that is someone else's faith.

Be real. Be honest.