Josh Weidmann‘s new book Honest to God examines heroes of the faith who lived with daring, messy honesty before God and others.

His book stemmed out of a campaign he started encouraging people to be honest. At first he just took postcards and left them in gas stations, in churches he was speaking at and pretty much anywhere. The cards instructed whoever picked them up to be honest with God, write it down and send it in to a P.O. box. Postcards flooded in.

He and some friends continued to encourage people to be honest with God through radio and the web over the next several years before he finally wrote the book.

The experiment with the postcards challenged him. He assumed that most of the answers would fall into a few main categories and that he would be able to neatly sort the postcards he was getting.

“There were not categories. Everyone has unique things they need to say to God.”

Honesty, according to Josh, isn’t just a positive quality or good habit. He sees honesty as the way to life-transformation.

 “Once we see God for who he is, once we have those moments of honesty where we lay out what it is that needs to be laid out for him, he comes in and he changes our perspective. “

God doesn’t just change our perspective of our circumstances, he changes our perspective of who he is.

Good honesty leads to transformation. Sometimes though people are honest just to shock others.

According to Josh, there are two types of honest: attention-grabbing and exposing what needs to be changed. The difference between these two types of honest is important. If we’re using honesty for shock value it only hurts. Good honesty, in contrast, brings forth a desire for transformation and brokenness. 

“That kind of honesty looks all together different from the kind that’s out to get attention. It’s usually more humble, more authentic and it has more purpose to it than momentary pleasure.”

Key Scriptures: Psalm 73:23-24Ephesians 4:25

Honesty in faith