Daily Devotion October 4, 2023

Posted on Oct 4, 2023 in Pastor's Blog |

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out” (Proverbs 10:9, NIV).

I found the following confession from a subscriber known as bluej1375 on Ranker.Com:

Not a father but a story about mine. One day, I decided to pull a sick day at school and came downstairs

and saw that my dad was making a coffee, I asked him what he was doing and why he wasn’t at work,

and he said I could ask you the same question. We stood in silence for a moment, and he said I won’t tell your

mum if you won’t. We had a good laugh about it, and he let me have the day off.

One could argue that the situation described above is a great example of a father and son bonding moment. Perhaps. But at what cost?

Honesty is the best policy, as the saying goes. When you are truthful with yourself and others, you are building a foundation of trust. In my estimation, the grand bargain the father made with the son to not tell “mum” they were playing hooky from work and school damaged the father’s credibility.

The father’s act of deception sowed a lingering doubt as to whether his word could be trusted. “If Dad is unwilling to reveal the truth to mum, might he one day deceive me, as well? Likewise, if it’s alright for Dad to lie, why can’t I?”

Modeling integrity and holding fast to your word are imperative for raising children. Integrity is the moral glue that bonds our words and our actions. Parents who demonstrate consistent levels of honesty build strong and meaningful relationships with their children.

Moreover, the parents who deal honestly with themselves and others are more likely to raise a child who is unshakably reliable and respectful toward the people with whom they associate. And because the correlation between trust and love is so strong, the children who grow into trustworthy adults are also more apt to receive love themselves, as well as love those around them more authentically. Trust is what makes love go both within and around.

The truth is that truth matters. Our children are listening and watching us. To be certain, there are occasions when we as parents blow it. But even in our not-so-proud moments, we can be honest with God, with ourselves, and our kids by owning up to our indiscretions. By doing so, we reveal to our children the pathway to forgiveness, redemption, and reconciliation.

The website www.HaveFunTeaching.com offers a song that embodies the importance of being an authentic parent:

It’s better to be honest and tell the truth,

I will follow my heart and stay true to myself.

If I do something wrong I’ll admit it right away,

I have no shame in the words that I say.

Because I speak the truth I speak honestly,

My friends all agree we share the same quality.

I will tell you the truth you can always trust me,

You can depend on me to show integrity.