Telling the truth is not always the easiest thing for me to do.

Especially when it comes to telling others the truth about my personal mistakes and shortcomings and telling the truth to others about their mistakes and shortcomings.

It's much easier to avoid.
It's much easier to pretend.
It's much easier to sugar coat.
It's much easier to exaggerate.
It's much easier to...lie.

But, though lying (even little white lies) may be easier in the short-run, I'm realizing more and more that it isn't beneficial in the long run.

Lies destroy trust. Lies divide people. Lies dilute reality.

Lies create an inaccurate perception.
Lies foster an unauthentic relationship.
Lies result in an unhealthy environment.

But though I may be aware of the consequences of lying, it's still very difficult at times to tell the truth. There is a perceived image that I have the desire to protect. There is a perceived persona that I have the desire to uphold. There is an unhealthy desire to be accepted by others. There is an unhealthy fear that telling the truth may result in a loss of respect or position. And it is all these things in tandem that make truth-telling a challenge.

But I've recently made a very important decision that I hope guides me for the rest of my life, and the decision is this:

I would rather tell the truth leaving it up to God to restore the reputation I once had than tell a lie leaving it up to myself to protect a reputation I no longer deserve.