We all long to be trusted, because trust is a prerequisite for true friendship. No one will make their true self vulnerable to someone they don't think they can trust. To be trustworthy, we must develop the virtue of honesty, which means more than just telling the truth when someone asks us a question. The virtue of honesty include the ability to discern what someone has a right to know, and how much is good and helpful for them to know, when to tell the whole truth, and when to protect another's privacy. "The right to the communication of the truth is not unconditional..." (CCC #2488); "Charity and respect for the truth should dictate the response to every request for information or communication...No one is bound to reveal the truth to someone who does not have the right to know it." (CCC #2489)

 

Being trustworthy and honest means not only protecting and proclaiming the truth; it includes practicing what we preach. No one aspires to be a hypocrite, to say one thing and do another. To be trustworthy we must strive to be men and women of integrity, integrating our deepest principles into every area of our lives. A person of honesty and integrity will naturally win the friendship of many.