Sometimes the Truth Hurts

I'm going to start this off today by being very direct and asking you to think about some dangerously thought-provoking questions.

What would it be like to be married to you?
What would it be like to be your daughter? or son?
What would it be like to be your mother? or father? or sister? or brother?
What would it be like to be your employee, mentor, coach, teacher, boss, friend, subsitute any other word here_____?

Isn't it interesting how when you frame these questions from the other person's point of view, the question becomes extremely uncomfortable.

Here's the deal. When I'm struggling with a situation in life, I have those friends that will tell me what I "want" to hear. They'll "validate" my feelings and help me feel good about my position on a situation. (And I believe we need those friends who are willing to love us and accept us and be our cheerleaders in life.)  And then there are those friends that will genuinely, honestly, lovingly tell you what you "need" to hear. Do you have friends like that?

Sometimes the truth hurts.  And sometimes we need to hear the truth. Recently, I've been having a difference of opinion with my husband on a certain issue. I asked a friend for advice. This friend gave me some very honest advice and not what I expected to hear.  She asked me to contemplate and pray about the question, "What's it like to be married to you?"

My immediate, first reaction was to say to myself, "What do you mean? What's it like to be married to me? What's it like to be married to HIM? It made me mad. What was she trying to say to me? I'm a bad wife? I'm not deserving? I'm impossible to live with? I'm not gonna lie, I was miffed for awhile. I was thinking to myself, why did I bother to ask her advice anyway.  

On the contrary, she was trying to get me to think about the situation from my husband's point of view.
Putting yourself in the shoes of the other person and realizing how humbling that can truly be takes some of the pressure off of yourself. In my case, itt also challenged me to think about whether I am truly "being" the best person that I can be.

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." ~John 8:31-3

Love and Prayers,
Soondra