Trustworthiness – Is it ever okay to lie?

Over the next several weeks, we’ll be highlighting each of the Six Pillars of Character – trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. Maybe we’ll all think about the Pillars differently after spending time focusing on each one. Let’s get started with trustworthiness.

First, it is important to remember the difference between trust and trustworthiness. Trust is something you put into someone else, while trustworthiness is being worthy of trust from others.

Being worthy of trust comes from:

Integrity
People with integrity stand up for their beliefs, have the courage to do what is right and they build good reputations.

Honesty
An honest person tells the truth, is sincere and is forthright and candid.

Promise-Keeping
People who keep their promises honor their commitments, keeps their word, and are dependable.

Loyalty
People who demonstrate loyalty stand by, stick up for and protect their family, friends, school and country.

Here’s a few questions to ponder:

• When is a “white lie” or a fib okay?
• How many lies does it take for you to become a liar?

Share your thoughts in the comments and we’ll tell you what we think in a future post.