Honesty #2216

33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:33–37, NKJV)

Jesus teaches one’s honesty should be so ironclad that his word is sufficient to settle any matter. “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one” (Matt. 5:37). Swearing an oath becomes superfluous to the one whose constant code is the integrity of truth (Matt. 5:33-36). When someone must try to convince you they are telling you “the honest truth,” something is “rotten in Denmark.” “Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor” (Eph. 4:25). A good dose of honesty improves every relationship in your life. Be trustworthy and remember; others know your honesty by your words and the life you live.

Talebearers and Trustworthy Counselors #1869

13 A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter. 14 Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety. (Proverbs 11:13–14, NKJV)

The word of God makes a clear distinction between spreading rumors about others (gossip) and seeking counsel from faithful souls who respectfully and scripturally advise (without sinfully violating confidences). Gossip and tale bearing are the sins of meddlers who spread information that is not theirs to spread (2 Thess. 3:11-12; 1 Pet. 4:15). Tale bearing exposes impure motives from a heart that is often bitter, resentful, vindictive, and even hateful. On the other hand, there is certainly value in wise counsel, and we are taught to seek it out and follow it (Prov. 1:5; 9:9; 12:15; 15:22; 19:20; 20:18; 24:6; 27:9). Asking advice from another personal is not automatically gossip or spreading rumors. Seeking out wise counsel on how to handle a matter in a godly way may indeed necessitate sharing certain information about the parties involved. Requesting such assistance must come from a heart set on doing God’s will without being clouded and driven by sinful motives. Seek out counselors who are trustworthy (“a faithful spirit”), who give sound counsel, and who do not make matters worse by revealing things (tale bearing) that ought to be concealed (Prov. 17:9).

A Faithful Spirit or a Talebearer? #1629

A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter. (Proverbs 11:13, NKJV)

This proverb does not endorse covering up sin. We are counseled by divine wisdom not to be a rumormonger, slanderously traveling about spreading tales about others. “But, it’s the truth!,” some rationalize as they betray trust and advertise a person’s private struggles. Perhaps it is true. If so, have you gone to that person with meekness to help them in their time of need (Galatians 6:1)? Talebearers do not “bear one another’s burdens,” they bring havoc and heartache by casting a person’s burdens to the wind (Galatians 6:2). Woe to the one who tries to promote themselves by spreading harmful messages that embarrass and hurt others. We must be of “a faithful spirit” (trustworthy disposition) when handling information about others. Don’t be a talebearer. Know when to keep a matter private. Doing so is a mark of wisdom.

The Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness #1311

“But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No.” (2 Corinthians 1:18, NKJV)

The fruit of the Spirit contains the attribute of faithfulness (Galatians 5:22). There is a wide range of applications of this trait in the Scriptures, from being faithful to God, to being reliable and trustworthy in one’s character and treatment of others (Galatians 2:20; Titus 2:10). At the heart of faithfulness is one’s reliability, trustworthiness and dependability. God is faithful (1 Corinthians 10:13). We can always depend of Him and His word. The person who is faithful to God relies on Him, trusting His word and following His directives. We are to always be faithful toward others. Paul was thankful for Philemon because he was hearing of his “love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints” (Philemon 5). Spiritual maturity not only means we are reliable in following the will of God, but by doing so, we are also trustworthy in our dealings with others. Just as the Corinthians could trust Paul’s word in today’s passage, our words must be faithful, reliable, trustworthy. The integrity of faith defines the person who is led by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-18).