LIFE WITH HONESTY

We have all grown up hearing the term “honesty is the best policy” so very often at home, in school, on the sports field and in church, over and over again that we take it for granted and very rarely do we question its validity or necessity. Honesty, the quality of being honest, is a value of human behavior which can be defined in variety of ways. In terms of Human Communication, people are considered to be honest when they tell the truth to the best of their knowledge, or do not withhold or alter what they know or think. In respect of Behavior, honesty refers to doing the right thing or abstaining from wrong or unacceptable actions, such as stealing or cheating. In essence, honesty incorporates the concepts of truthfulness and reliability and it resides in all human thought, words, actions and relationships.
Dr. Hal Urban, the celebrated teacher and author, wrote in his book, Life’s Greatest Lessons:
“You’ll never be truly successful unless everything you do,
is under-girded with honesty and integrity”

This statement perfectly encapsulates the fundamental ingredient for the successful conduct of anyone of us. For, combined with Integrity, there is no aspect in life that is as important, or as imperative as the need to be consistently honest, not because other people expect you to do so, but for your own self. Without the intrinsic platform of honesty, any action taken will be robbed of the fundamental quality of reliability and is likely to produce a sense of doubt, leading inevitably to mistakes. Shakespeare (Hamlet) accurately referred to this situation when he cautioned:

“To thine own self be true,
and it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man”.

It is unfortunate that we live in a world where honesty is valued, and yet shunned at the same time. We expect people to be honest in their dealings with us yet we watch and applaud television shows and movies that promote and encourage lying and deceitfulness. Without thinking, we teach our children that dishonesty is acceptable, when we ask our children to tell the caller on the telephone we are not home, or when we refuse invitations by pretending we are busy. These are lessons in deceit and in lying. Isn't it strange that on the one hand, we admonish our children for telling lies, and yet we have no hesitation to lying when it suits us. Children learn by observing us and we should not be surprised that the more we expose them to a world that tolerates deceit, the more honesty will disappear from the hearts of the next generation.
But being honest is not always as easy or as practical to maintain. Sometimes by being honest, we risk harm to ourselves or alternatively, may cause harm to others, neither of which we might find to be acceptable. There are times when the truth if exposed, may lead to unintended results which may give rise to regret. In such situations, for example, when information given in secret may cause serious consequences if released, we must rely on our integrity to counsel keeping the secret in order to spare the feelings of others . Sometimes "honesty" may be dictated by self-interest and self-protection, to ensure personal gain at the expense of others, and unless tempered by a sound integrity, will result in fake or immoral outcomes. This is probably the commonest action seen in society and one that causes much unnecessary pain. It is no surprise therefore that genuine honesty, tempered by integrity, is held in such high regard as a virtue on par with dignity and to honor.
In the end, the true measure of a successful person is not in the power that he possesses, nor in the wealth he accumulates nor even in his social stature, but in his good name and in his honesty. George Washington summarized this very effectively when he wrote:

“I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough,
to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles;
the character of an Honest Man."



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And my Honesty will testify for me in the future.
Genesis 30:33

A Honest man's word is as good as his bond.
…….Cervantes

Where is there dignity unless there is Honesty?
……..Cicero

Every man has his fault, and Honesty is his.
……William Shakespeare

The elegance of Honesty needs no adornment.
…….Merry Browne

Dare to be Honest and fear no labor.
…….Robert Burns
To make your children capable of Honesty,
is the beginning of education.
…….John Ruskin

I have found that being Honest is the best technique I can use.
Right up front, tell people what you're trying to accomplish,
and what you're willing to sacrifice to accomplish it.
…….. Lee Iacocca

Honesty is as rare as a man without self-pity.
……. Stephen Vincent Benet

The measure of life is not strength, but Honesty.
…….John Lyle

Lands mortgaged may return, and more esteemed, But Honesty once pawned, is never redeemed.
…….Thomas Middleton

An Honest man's the noblest work of God.
…….Alexander Pope

There is no twilight zone of Honesty in business.
A thing is right or it's wrong. It's black or it's white.
…….John F. DodgeThe elegance of Honesty needs no adornment.
…….Merry Browne

People who are brutally honest get more satisfaction out of the brutalitythan out of the honesty.
…….Richard J. Needham

Our lives improve only when we take chances
- and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves.”
……Walter Anderson