Truth telling is one of the competencies we must grow into as adults.
Yes, we must be able to sit with the pain and discipline of choosing truth in its entirety.
Unconsciously, a number of us even as christians have put lying on autopilot that we do it without flinching .
Sometimes, it comes as a joke, other times it’s so blatant.
Sometimes it’s sheer exaggeration and other times it’s sieving facts for gains.
It’s a bad thing to lie to others but worse off is lying to yourself.
We lie about who we are and wear a mask over our weaknesses and flaws.
We lie about what we truly want for ourselves to ourselves & to others.
How possible then is it to speak the truth about systems and situations for the better good?
It’s only when you’ve mastered the art of telling the truth to yourself that you can begin to share with others convincingly.
What are the areas of truth we must take the pain and discipling of exploring?
1)Truth of The Faith
The Christian Faith was birthed long before our physical existence and therefore cannot be dependent on us.
We cannot define or give metrics of what we came to meet or are born into.
Doing this is pride and idolatry.
But more often than not, a number of Christians have created a false version of the faith colored by traditional values or pop culture.
You might want to see this.
The faith has been narrowed to a bunch of cultural stereotypes or liberalism with “just love”, “judge not” with a deliberate attempt at eroding and assassinating the other parts of the Scriptures which admonishes us to stand fast in truth.
We often gloss over this verse of this scriptures but it’s as liberating to the extent which you face and internalize it.
You shall know the truth and it will set you free.
True freedom comes from speaking The Truth in love .
Against wokeism, the Christian Faith calls us to hold fast to The truth revealed in God’s words even when it is unpopular.
The Scriptures teaches that The truth is not fluid or subjective but rooted in the character of God who does not change .
This is in stark contrast to wokeism which elevates subjective feelings, shifting cultural values and human ideologies above divine truth.
Choosing the latter over the Christian Faith risks embracing relativism, silencing biblical convictions and redefines morality apart from God.
By all means, if you’re going to remain a Christian, strive to strictly uphold biblical truths.
2)Truth of your self
Many people shy away from the truth about themselves because of the discomfort, pain and bruises that would initially come with it.
They hide behind denial, excuses or comparison to mask this truth & that only delays healing and transformation.
You might want to see this
SELF-AWARENESS: A PRELUDE TO PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Truth about ourselves may sting but it’s the starting point to repentance, spiritual maturity, authentic living and a path to establishing God’s Kingdom
You must grow to speaking the truth of your own thoughts, behaviours & actions.
You must speak the truth of your own prejudice
The truth of where you are with faith, finances, friendships & all there is about you must not be left to chance.
The truth of how well you manage conflict must be registered.
Let the truth look at you in the face & let it lead you to doing the inner work.
3)Truth about the spaces you share.
We’ve not heeded in the right direction for the longest time because we’ve glossed over the truth about systems, organizations and spaces we share.
In establishing God’s Kingdom and building better social reforms, we must now begin to summon the courage to face the truth of spaces we share whether families, organizations or larger systems so we can nip in the bud our age long denial that has has birthed dysfunction.
When people refuse to confront the truth of what is wrong, hidden issues fester until they erupt in conflict, decline or collapse.
Facing and speaking the truth in organizations is also an act of love, stewardship and accountability.
If the Bible teaches that judgement must begin at the house of God how much more other spaces?
When we begin to explore, name and address what is broken or wrong whether prejudice, corruption, neglect, we truly make room for fairness, justice, healing and wholeness.
4)Truth about others
No thanks to fear, favouritism, self preservation and the perverted pressure to be nice that has plagued and held a number back from telling the truth about others when it is needed.
But for how long are we going to let falsehood seep in through our silence?
Know of a truth that silence is not always golden.
How long are we going to sit at the table of compromise?
To cover up evil or to flatter deceitfully is to partner with falsehood but to expose and correct it is to walk in the light.
By growing into the practice of truth telling, we help create communities where trust can flourish, justice is upheld and grace can abound because truth even when painful, is always the pathway to freedom and healing.
Like the apostle Paul, I hope you and I can humbly say – I speak the truth in Christ and I lie not.
