Honesty Is Always The Best Policy

Intro: When it comes to honesty let me tell you a story about a young boy.

This story occured in Florida.

A young lady was soaking up the sun's rays on a Florida beach when a little boy in his swimming trunks, carrying a towel, came up to her and asked her:

• "Do you believe in God?"

• She was surprised by the question but replied, "Why, yes, I do."

• Then he asked her: "Do you go to church every Sunday?"

• Again, her answer was "Yes!"

• Then he asked: "Do you read your Bible and pray every day?"

• Again she said, "Yes!"

But by now her curiosity was very much aroused a little boy asking such personal question.

At last the lad with sigh of relief said, with obvious relief, "Will you hold my quarter while I go swimming?"

Likewise, God is looking for some honest people?

• People in whom he can trust?

• People who will be honest in all their dealings?

• People whose walk matches their talk?

• People who keep the promises they make?

• People whose word is their bond?

Will you be that person?

Illus: Sports Illustrated told a story of seven year old boy just starting to play the game of base ball.

The game was played in Wellington, Florida. In this story this seven-year-old first baseman, Tanner Munsey, fielded a ground ball and tried to tag a runner going from first to second base.

The umpire, Laura Benson, called the runner out.

But young Tanner immediately ran to her side and said, "Ma'am, I didn't tag the runner."

Umpire Benson reversed herself, sent the runner to second base, and Tanner's coach gave him the game ball for his honesty.

Two weeks later, Laura Benson was again the umpire and Tanner was playing shortstop when a similar play occurred.

This time Benson ruled that Tanner had missed the tag on a runner going to third base, and she called the runner safe.

Tanner looked at Benson and without saying a word, tossed the ball to the catcher and returned to his position.

Benson sensed something was wrong. "Did you tag the runner?" she asked Tanner.

Benson then called the runner out.

The opposing coaches protested until she explained what had happened two weeks earlier. "If a kid is that honest," she said, "I have to give it to him. This game is supposed to be for kids."

Will Tanner be as honest when he is thirty-seven as he is now when he is seven?

Who is honest?

Where are the Tanner Munseys in our world?

Does anyone tell the truth anymore?

Illus: A police officer pulls over a speeding car.

• The officer says, ‘ I clocked you at 80 miles per hour, sir.’

• The driver says, ‘Gee, officer I had it on cruise control at 60; perhaps your radar gun needs calibrating.’

• Not looking up from her knitting the wife says, ‘Now don’t be silly dear, you know this car doesn’t have cruise control!

• As the officer writes out the ticket, the driver looks over at his wife and growls , ‘Can’t you please keep quiet for once??!!’

• The wife smiles demurely and says, ‘You should be thankful your radar detector went off when it did.’

• As the officer makes out the second ticket for the illegal radar detector unit, the man looks at his wife again and says through clenched teeth, ‘Woman, can’t you keep quiet?!!!!!!’

• The officer frowns and says, ‘And I notice that you’re not wearing your seat belt, sir. That’s an automatic $75 fine.’

• The driver says, ‘Yeah, well, you see officer, I had it on, but took it off when you pulled me over so that I could get my license out of my back pocket.’

• The wife says, ‘Now, dear, you know very well that you didn’t have your seat belt on. You never wear your seat belt when you’re driving.’

• And as the police officer is writing out the third ticket the driver turns to his wife and barks, ‘WILL YOU PLEASE BE QUIET!!!!!’

• The officer looks over at the woman and asks, ‘Does your husband always talks to you this way, Ma’am?’ and she said, ‘Only when he’s been drinking’.

You’ve heard the saying, “honesty is the best policy!”

Let’s look at Honesty from some examples and from the scriptures.

First, let’s look at…

I. The importance of honesty

If we are truthful, we will admit that not lying can be a problem.

• There is the fib,

• The white lie,

• The half-truth,

• The clever deception,

• Misleading information,

• Stretching the truth,

• Exaggeration.

Who has not been startled to hear yourself say something that is an exaggeration without even thinking about it?