Love and Principles

What is the distinction between acting according to what is best for others, and acting according to principle?  Is it not so the case that acting in strict accordance to a principle, even a virtuous one, is acting in such a manner that is not loving or not to the betterment of another?  Even honesty, say.  Is honesty always the best choice?  Is it not so that living to be ‘honest’ in all things, be it for one’s own sake or for the sake of “principle”, could be doing so to the definitive detriment of another?  How does one balance such things, then?

First ever creation of something like a poem