Why We Should Tell It Like It Is

It’s hard to find your voice, isn’t it?

There are so many thoughts spiraling through our minds, but putting them into words isn’t so easy.

Most of the time, my most profound, eloquent statements come out a little bit like…

uh. hey.

We trip over words. We trip over opinions. We trip over I-don’t-want-to-offend-but-that-is-just-all-wrong. Or maybe, I am… all wrong.  We trip, stumble, falter, and flail. The best of our intentions can step right out in front of a bus… and become road kill.

It’s hard to find your voice. You know, the voice you are really supposed to have. The one that is buried beneath proper decorum, benign pleasantries, and vacuous blather. I don’t mean small talk. I don’t mean pleasant conversation.

I mean… the stuff we really mean. The words we battle between our mental gymnastics and our vocal release. Lack of tact and crass ramblings are not the answer.

It is hard to find your voice.  It is hard to be honest.

Not the don’t-tell-a-lie kind of honest.

The honest that reaches into the depths of our souls. The words that murmur in our spirits and long to be released. Not hurtful, rage-filled spatter. But, instead, words stirred in us by the Spirit that drives us.

I wonder why it is so hard to tell the whole truth.  I wonder why we can’t own up to all the painful insecurities and just call them out on the carpet. We could then take that carpet and pound the dusty mess right out. Until the flittering specks of our dusty insecurities vanish into a forgotten mist.

We could just say,

I compare myself to you and it makes me feel like less.

I think I have it figured out, then I slip; and I just want to quit.

I want to be a good mom and wife, but I am worn out.

I feel like so much depends on me, and I just fall short.

I am plain old sick of my own voice.

Kids have it all figured out. They say just exactly what they mean. They mean just exactly what they say… until we tell them not to.

It’s just not polite. Don’t say that.

Oh, hush, don’t let them hear you.

But… it’s the truth.

Mom meltdowns sometimes bring a beautiful truth to light. Sometimes it gives these little ones a chance to step up and voice life-giving words,

You are a great mom.

Everyone gets tired and stressed out.

Mom, you’re the best.

I wonder why we can just get it right?

I know, it’s that whole fallen world thing.  It is, you know.  Fallen.

Why don’t we just step up from the dust with our God-given hearts and speak truth, love, and honesty into the souls we pass. We are all suffering. In one way or another. We pull that heavy old worn security blanket over our heads and stifle the life-giving words of truth.

Sometimes, we should just tell it like it is.  With kindness. With grace. With these sincerely broken souls that have been given the most sincerely priceless gift.

The gift of words. The gift of the Word. The life-giving, soul-healing, love-drenching gift.

Words.

Maybe we should take a cue from these little ones who speak truth without a thought to lie.  We could stop covering the screens with illusions of I’ve-got-it-all-together.

We could whisper,

Me too.

My little baby blue-eyed boy climbed into my lap.  It was bedtime and mama was well past any patience that could be mustered.

I need you to go to bed.

He ignored my frazzled words.  Clinging to my neck, face nuzzling in tighter, his words…

Mom, it’s all about the love.

It’s just all about the love.

How is it that they just get it?

I smiled and squeezed.

A delay tactic, maybe.  The truth, definitely.

It is all about the love.

Simple words.

Maybe we don’t need to dress up our big adult words. We could just remember to say the simplest of things.

You are not alone.

I know it’s hard for you.

I will pray for you (and do it).

Remember who you are.

I think you’re a really cool person.

I love you.

We are in this together.

God loves you. Yes, even when you don’t.

It’s all about the love.

Maybe I should just forget about finding the right voice. Stop talking… and listen to my boy.

It’s all about the love.

 

Philemon 1:6-7

I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.