Each morning we recite the Columbus Classical Academy Honor Code.  It begins with honesty—“a Columbus Classical Academy student is honest in all things.”  We put it first, in part because we agree with Thomas Jefferson, who said that “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” 

But what exactly does it mean to be honest?  Well, the etymology of the word honest is the same as the word honor—they both come from the Latin honos, which was also the name of a Roman god who personified honor, especially military honor. 

Now, I suspect that when you think of honesty, you probably think of telling the truth.  That’s what comes to mind for me as well—and that’s certainly part of it.  But honesty is about more than truth-telling.  It is about being honorable in our words and conduct. 

Think of a “tattle tale.”  It is one thing to tell your teacher about something unkind or inappropriate that a classmate has done and needs to be addressed by the teacher—that’s important, and it’s part of being honest because it is honorable.  But it is quite another to go through your day telling your teacher, “Tommy didn’t push in his chair all the way; Sally was late to class; Billy didn’t study for the test last night,” and so on.  It may be true, but is it honest?

Or have you ever heard someone say something mean, like “you look terrible in that shirt,” and then follow it up with, “Well, I’m just being honest!”  Really?  Someone once said that “the person who is brutally honest enjoys the brutality quite as much as the honesty.  Possibly more.”

I’d say that perhaps, in the true meaning of the word, they aren’t really being honest at all.  Yes, being honest means telling the truth—but let’s make sure the truth we tell comes with a heavy dose of honor.  That’s the real meaning of honesty. 

Have a wonderful day.