A few years ago during a Christmas Holiday season my wife Candy and I were hosting our in-laws at our home. As she was preparing our dinner she ran out of a few ingredients and asked if I’d run to the store and pick up a few things she told me to get. My nephew was with me and after we made the trip to the store and were about to pull into our driveway I realized that though I heard my wife give out the list, I really hadn’t listened, so I forgot to get one of the items. I looked at my nephew and said, “What did she say to get.” He didn’t listen either and so there we were and both our minds were spinning trying to come up with a good excuse. After a long pause he looked at me and said, “Uncle John, sometimes you just got to tell the truth and take it like a man.” That was really good advice from a ten-year-old.
Honesty is the best policy always and 2 Corinthians 8:21 says, “Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.”
Honesty can often be seen in giving reasons vs. making excuses. After Pastoring for over 40 years I have found there’s a big difference between reasons and excuses that people give you. I like this list that explains the difference between reasons versus excuses from a teaching from Pastor Bob Yandian:
1. Reasons are legitimate explanations.
2. Reasons are the truth.
3. Reasons accept responsibility.
4. Reasons are facts.
5. Reasons hunt you down.
6. Excuses are often a facade to cover our own weaknesses and faults.
7. Excuses are often lies or exaggerations.
8. Excuses never accept personal responsibility but always place blame on someone or something.
9. Excuses are usually partially true.
10. Excuses are usually something you have to go find out, search out, and hunt down.
No one succeeds without being honest and taking responsibility for who you are, what you have, and what you can do. There is so much progress you can make if you will quit making excuses and take responsibility.
Pastor John Rasicci is the founder and Pastor of Word of His Grace Church in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where we are building people who are building the Church. Pastor's ministry mission is to help people discover God's dream for their Life, the Local Church, and the Last Days' Harvest. With a strong emphasis on the grace of God and with a prophetic voice, Pastor John preaches and teaches in churches, conferences, and crusades both locally and throughout the world. He has produced books, tapes, and other teaching materials to empower, enable, and equip Believers with the Word of God. Pastor John is married to his wife Candy who with their three children, Krista, Joanna, John Anthony, and two son-in-laws, Matt and Doug, serve together in the ministry. After graduating from Kent State University, Pastor John pursued a career in professional baseball before accepting the call to the ministry. He and his wife, Candy, received their ministry training from Rhema Bible Training Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
John Rasicci 
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