The Truth About Honesty

It is hard to believe that only a few months ago there were nearly two feet of snow on the ground. Many kids were running around building snowmen, rolling big balls of the white stuff across their front lawns until the lump of water and ice was substantial enough to create their new snow-friend.

When I was young, building a snowman sounded fun and easy. You started with a little ball of snow and just rolled it along. Simple, right? But as the snowball rolls, it gets bigger and bigger, heavier and heavier. There were times when I said, “That’s good enough,” not because my snowball was large enough, but simply because I didn’t feel like pushing it anymore. It’s a heavy burden.

When we think about lying, it is often like a snowball. Even the simplest lies start out small enough. I told my teacher I didn’t do my homework because I was sick. No big deal. But then she calls home, and now I have to fake being sick for my parents. They bring me to the doctor, and I have to pretend to have a cough and moan and groan over the “pain” in my stomach. Just like the snowball that gets bigger and bigger, the lie takes on a new form until it is out of control.

Wouldn’t it be easier to just stop rolling the snowball? That’s honesty.

Lying seems like it makes our lives a little easier, but the pressure builds up like a wound under the skin. Only by lancing it do we relieve that pressure and allow healing to begin. And that is an important point: yes, we should be honest because it is the right thing to do and because it promotes fairness and justice — but it is also (selfishly) good for us too. When we are honest, it gives us room to breathe, allows relationships to grow, and fosters trust. It is good not just for our fellow man, but for our own hearts and souls as well.

Last week we talked about endurance — pushing through to do hard things. Sometimes telling the truth can be hard, but it is worth it in the end.

Interested in teaching your child positive character traits like honesty? Trinity Martial Arts in Hopewell Junction teaches traditional martial arts and practical self-defense skills to students in East Fishkill and the surrounding Hudson Valley. Reach out today to schedule your free trial class and begin your martial arts journey.