Someone close to me sent me this graphic.
It made me laugh.
I believe in responding with wisdom, which means sometimes holding my tongue. I definitely try to always engage the filter God gives me to use. But that filter rarely involves sugar-coating. In my experience, he usually guides me to speak the truth in love or to be quiet.
He never tells me to be quiet in order to avoid truth. His instruction to speak the truth in love does not mean you are following him well when you keep your mouth shut to not make waves or to maintain someone’s comfort—including your own. I’ve watched that play out in families. It might seem functional for them, because it creates a chasm of separation between the huddle they’ve created for themselves and the reality around and truth underneath them. It’s sad and unhealthy and isolating.
God also never tells us to speak without truth and love. That’s hard at times. Those are our filters—truth and love. God wants us to apply those filters not just to our words and interactions but also to our attitudes and thoughts.
It’s a process of constantly trusting him to guide us in what to say and how and when to say it. But pay attention to his prompts throughout the day. Pause long enough to let him guide your interactions today, because he’s a lot more wise than you or me.
He doesn’t run a bakery either; he doesn’t sugarcoat truth. But he’ll give you manageable bites if you’re willing to receive as he gives.
Pure Purpose 