Hey there friends. Welcome back to Carpooling with Jesus. I'm Pastor Justin, and I'm super excited to be with you today. Have you ever been in a situation where telling the truth was hard? Maybe you broke something or forgot to do your chores, or you didn't want to admit you were wrong. Sometimes telling the truth can be tricky, right? But guess what? Jesus wants us to tell the truth, no matter what. Today, we're going to talk about why telling the truth is so important and how we can do it with God's help. Let me share a verse from Ephesians chapter four, verse 25. It says, therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. That means Jesus wants us to speak the truth to one another, just like we would want others to speak the truth to us. When we tell the truth, it helps build trust, and trust is so important in all of our relationships, with family, with friends, with our teachers, and yes, even with God. Here's why telling the truth is so important. First, telling the truth shows that we trust God. God knows everything, so he's always with us. And when we tell the truth, we're trusting that he's got our back. Even if we're afraid of getting in trouble, we can trust God to help us when we do what's right. Second, telling the truth helps us stay close to our friends and family. When we tell the truth, people know they can trust us. And trust is the foundation of every good relationship and friendship. You know how you feel when someone tells you the truth. It makes you feel good, right? That's because we all need the truth to grow close to one another. Now I know telling the truth isn't always easy. Sometimes we don't want to admit we've made a mistake or hurt someone's feelings, but here's how we can do it. Be brave. Sometimes telling the truth can be scary, but Jesus is always with us, helping us be brave. Just like when you're scared to speak in front of the class, but you know it's the right thing to do, God will help you be brave and speak the truth. Ask for help from God. Sometimes we mess up and telling the truth feels extra hard. When that happens, we can pray and ask God to help us. He will give us the courage and the words to say so we can always speak truthfully and show love to one another. Let me tell you a quick story about telling the truth. Imagine you're playing with a friend and you accidentally break their toy. Oh no, right? You're worried they'll be upset with you, but you remember that telling the truth is the right thing to do. So you take a deep breath and you say, hey, I'm really sorry. I accidentally broke your toy. It was an accident, but I wanted to tell you the truth. Your friend might be a little sad at first, might even be a little angry. But because you told the truth, they'll respect you more and trust you more. And guess what? You've learned how to be honest, and that helps both of you grow as friends. Telling the truth isn't always easy, but it's always worth it. Here's a challenge for you this weekend. Whenever you find yourself in a situation where telling the truth might be hard, stop and pray. God, help me tell the truth. You can do it and God will help you every step of the way. Remember friends, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. Before you go, let's pray our Friday prayer. God, thank you for this week. Help us finish strong today and bless our weekend with joy and rest. Amen. Thanks for hanging out with me today on Carpooling with Jesus. I hope you learned how important it is to always tell the truth and how God will help you do it. I'll see you next week and remember, tell the truth, even when it's hard. Parents, if you love this podcast, make sure to share it with your friends so they can enjoy faith-filled car rides too. Here's today's question. Try and answer it before you get out of the car. Why do you think it's important to tell the truth, even when it's hard? See you next week.
