I'm going to be back in Birmingham in less than a week! This summer has been wonderful...challenging, meaningful work, time with friends and family, much needed time away from the South.

I am ready to go back in some ways, but far from ready in others.

Obviously I know Fridays are date nights, but I am still looking for someone to stay with me at my place for an hour at most. I need someone I respect to be there to hold me accountable when finishing up with the situation described yesterday. I know it probably sounds silly, but I don't think in reality it is.

honestly, where is the honesty?

I rented my apartment out this summer to a girl. Perhaps I was too trusting, perhaps naive, but I thought things would go smoothly for the most part. I did my research, covered all bases imaginable, yet there was a hitch I hadn't counted on: lying. More than once and about some important things.

This summer the interns worked extensively on a series of cases involving a "Bishop" as a landlord who claimed he was helping the homeless and only doing God's work. I can't say much about it, but I will say he lied in open court. One person can only have but so many versions of the same event...

Honestly, where is the honesty? Here are two people who are professing Christians, yet they have not honored their own word.

I don't care what the motivation was; lying is a big deal. It supports the play book of the Enemy for one, but worse it makes for a terrible witness. What are we doing?!?

The Apostle Peter wrote, "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth." I Peter 2:21,22

The Greek word for guile is "dolos." It means "to decoy" or "to bait." Jesus baited no one. No trickery. No deceit. Just the purest heart and the truest love that was ever given.

Integrity goes hand in hand with honesty. One of my gymnastics coaches defined integrity as what you did when you thought no one was watching. But God sees all, knows all...

I don't harbor anger towards these people. But, I am disappointed in their choices. It isn't my place to judge them. I don't think honesty is the best policy; I think it is the only policy.