Self-Honesty

How easy is it for us to appear honest to other people, but so hard for us to be honest to ourselves no matter how we justify ourselves and enumerate our excuses and reasons. We know our intentions even when we lie or when we try to make it appear honest. God knows them all.

For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. (1 John 3:20)

Self-honesty happens when even our own selves are convinced with our own thoughts and actions beyond any doubts or fears. For when we sin, our heart will condemn us, but we try to suppress and hide it. Yet, God knows everything. Our sins are not sins just because people caught us and accused us of doing it, or when people find it not good. We try to be "honest" to people to cover up our deeds, by trying to be so clever and so sneaky. God knows everything no matter how we try to hide and to forget what we did. His righteousness is the standard and not the morality established by men. For we sin even in our thoughts though we believe that they are hidden and inaccessible by all people, and that people cannot discover and accuse us of anything from our thoughts. God knows everything and He hates our sins, even our sinful thoughts and desires.

It appears to be an act of "honesty" but not of "self-honesty" when...

We tried to cheat in an exam, but was not able to find the needed answer or to write the right answer.

We stole money yesterday and returned it the next day without getting caught and without letting anybody know.

We attempted to violate somebody's privacy, but was not able to do so, sensing somebody approaching who might see us.

What excuses could we have prepared or said in those scenarios to make us appear honest to other people and to answer their doubts and their questions? Our reasons and even our post-actions will not justify us. We could have made other people believe that our intentions are clean and honest, but we could not deceive ourselves easily. Self-honesty is honesty in its purest form. When we feel the need to ask other people instead of hiding it to ourselves, then we try to seek self-honesty, rather than appearing to be honest. Being honest may not be easy, considering the consequences, but it is the easiest way to do considering that we free ourselves from sin, from condemnation, and from our need of inventing more things to deceive other people.