“To Be Honest….”

I overheard someone start a sentence with, “To be honest…” and it made me pause.

I know it’s just a figure of speech, but if you think about it — does that mean the rest of the time they’re not being honest?

Should I start being concerned about all the conversations before this one?

We all want to be known as people whose words carry weight — not because we shout the loudest, but because we’ve built a life of truthfulness. People listen when they know we speak from a place of honesty.

The Bible says, “The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy” (Proverbs 12:22).

That’s a pretty strong endorsement for telling the truth! And it’s not just about avoiding lies — it’s about being dependable and speaking in a way that brings life, not harm.

Let’s think about the people in our lives whose words we trust completely. We don’t have to question their motives. We don’t wonder if they’re spinning a story.

When they speak, we lean in because we know it’s coming from a place of truth. That kind of credibility doesn’t happen overnight — it’s built one honest conversation at a time.

And let’s be real — honesty isn’t a license to blurt out every thought in our heads. (Some things are better left unsaid, like how someone’s new haircut “takes some getting used to.”)

So maybe we could replace “To be honest…” with “Here’s the truth…” or better yet, just let our everyday words prove we’re honest. If people already know we live and speak truth, we won’t have to give a disclaimer at all.

Let’s live in such a way that when we speak, others don’t have to wonder if we mean it. Our word should be as good as our handshake — steady, trustworthy, and God-honoring.

To be completely honest — no fingers crossed — always looking straight in their eyes — with words that the whole truth — nothing but the truth — so help me God!