I hesitate sharing my truth many times. People will ask how I am, or how things are going in one aspect of my life or another and I respond by barely skimming the surface. This fact, or truth about who I am, has been rearing it's ugly head this past week.
I expect, encourage, and sometimes even demand the truth from my children. Not just with the details of their activities, but how they are feeling about a situation or two. I encourage and support their telling the truth by saying that doing so will free their mind, lighten their soul, and bring focus to the situation in order to create a plan.
But, how often to I cower from doing the same? Speaking the truth takes a certain amount of courage. There is a risk of being judged or misunderstood. There is a risk of how the other person will respond. Typically, in time, the risk becomes worth it. I know this and yet...
I am doing a lot of self reflection, I guess a self-check, to discover what type of role model I am being for my children. Do they see me taking the risk of speaking and living in the truth with love? Do they see me being real - or do they see me being guarded and sticking to the surface without going deep?
As my faith in God increases, I am learning how insignificant the judgement from others should be. What is holding me back from sharing my truth? I believe most of it is trust. I am not always sure I can trust those I want to share with. I am blessed to have two amazing people in my life that I can trust, it's with others that I hesitate and become guarded. Yet there is a desire in my soul to be free from the fear of judgement, and to be full of joy by being real. I want to create relationships where I will speak the truth, and they with speak the truth, and we can support each other. I know... I know...this all starts with me taking the risk necessary to create what I want.
When I look at my relationships with my children, I wonder if I am doing what I can to encourage them to share, to be real, and speak their truth. Do they trust me with all that they are? Can they trust that I am being real with them too?
It is so delicate and yet so powerful to take the risk to speak the truth and create supportive relationships, especially with our children.
It's worth a self-check!
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2 comments:
lots to think about...its definatly easier said then done, if we try our best and do what we know is right, God will give us all we need for the rest....here is a couple of scriptures i thought would encourage you and me and others to live in the truth...
1 john3:18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 19 Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.
prov. 12:19 Truthful words stand the test of time,but lies are soon exposed.
prov 12:22 The Lord detests lying lips,but he delights in those who tell the truth.
I'd like to think that I "belong to the truth" - and when I hesitate connecting with others by being guarded, something just doesn't feel right. Maybe that feeling is a sign that those that I am hesitating around are not the ones that God wants me to connect with. Maybe that's it.
And then I look to my children, and am motivated to be someone they can rely on and trust and be open and real with. I do not merely want to think I am that person, I want to ensure that I am!
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