"Do not spread false reports. Do not help a wicked man by being a malicious witness. Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, and do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit. If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help him with it. Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or hones person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous." (v. 1-8)
When I was younger I was very thin. My mother would worry and always insisted that I had more to eat. Some girls were envious because my waist were smaller than theirs. After I got married, and especially after children, I put on some weight. I now have the reverse problem, and working on losing it. However, as I returned to my "stomping grounds" when I was younger I met a friend who simply did not recognize me, and immediately blurted out "You're fat!!!" I could not deny the truth, but the two simple words were very sharp and very hurtful. They immediately recognized how unthoughtful it was, but it was already too late - the damage has been done.
Then I recall when a friend had recognized that I had my pants zipper open and part of my shirt showing through. After an hour or two of walking around in the city, we encountered another friend who simply asked if I were hot, kindly informing me of my open zipper. My first friend knew about the little issue, but was more concerned about my feelings and therefore could not sure the truth of the matter.
Most people do not want to befriend those are not truthful. We typically steer away from those who simply cannot be honest with us because we would always question their intent. On the other hand, we do not want to fellowship with those who are not honest, but are sharp with their words. Conveying honesty can be done in many ways. Although one without the other may be somewhat beneficial, but it can also be more harmful. In fact, one cannot operate appropriately without the other: if one is honest, but unkind, could it not sometimes lead us to question whether it is the truth; and if one is kind, but dishonest, would you not question their kindness? The combination of honesty with kindness completes the person who rely on and enjoy being around. It is in fact a law given to us as Christians. Let us therefore learn to walk in truth and kindness.
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