Truth at work (part six of a series)

You can read previous posts in this series here: an introduction to truthtelling, truthtelling in the Bible, why truthtelling is important, guidelines for telling the truth at work, and cases where people have no right to the truth.

We’ve spent a lot of time talking about exceptions to truthtelling and tough ethical cases in this series.

The exceptions occur when there is no expectation of the truth (as in puffery and poker), when (in the rare cases) it is clear that everyone knows the rules (as in bluffing), when someone has no right to the information (as in protecting confidential information) and when truthtelling conflicts with other important moral values (as with Corrie Ten Boom and the Nazis). Exceptions to the norm are just that—exceptions that are unusual occurrences. They do not set the pattern for the application of truthtelling in the marketplace.

The pattern is this: our ultimate goal as Christians is to be people of truth.

Truthtelling is a critical moral value for a Christian worldview as well, because Christian identity is in Jesus—the way, the truth and the life. Christians may practice clear exceptions to truthtelling in the ways we have outlined, and at times it may even be our duty to do so. But let us hope that our love of the truth leads us to reduce the territory of exceptions, rather than expand it….People motivated by the coming of the kingdom of God on earth will prefer to serve others by speaking the truth, even when it is not expected. Our favorite question will not be “Is this justifiable,” but “Is this how things will be done when God’s kingdom comes?”

Think about what that might mean in your own life and in your own workplace. And leave us a comment!

Image: kxlly, Flickr.