Sincerity

A sincere person is one who is honest, who doesn’t create false impressions, and who doesn’t operate with selfish motives.  What you see is what you get.  They do the right thing for the right reasons.  They don’t have a hidden agenda.  

The meaning of the word sincere comes from the ancient practice of pottery making.  If rocks were not sifted out of the clay, pots would have defects and deceitful potters would fill the small holes with wax.  Later, when the buyer heated the pot, the wax would melt, and the pot would leak.  Good potters, whose clay was sifted, would write on their pots “sine cera” – without wax.  Are we as genuine on the inside as we try to portray on the outside?  God wants us to know who we are in relationship with Him and then live that out with truth and grace in our human relationships.  

We need to say what we mean and mean what we say without lies, or exaggeration, or evasiveness.  We need to be honest about what we think or feel – expressing ourselves with respect and politeness for sure – but not thinking one thing and intentionally saying something else.  To be sincere is to “walk the walk not just talk the talk.” 

For us to live before God and others with sincerity of heart, we need to practice being honest in all our affairs and not merely seek to gain advantage for ourselves.  When we are impressed with something that has been done right, we should give a compliment with sincerity.  

Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.  (2 Corinthians 1:12 NIV)

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, Please work in me so that any character defects that would keep me from being sincere are brought to light and removed.  Amen

  Video Encouragement and Prayer