'We will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.
Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
No one has a crystal ball.
I've been known to say that here and there along the way. And none of my audiences burst into great big rounds of applause.
Some of us humans think that those around us should just intuitively know what we feel, want, or need and automatically respond in kind. But more often than not, that's not reality. We get all hurt and frustrated, think the absolute worst of those closest to us, and our disappointment bursts into bouts of anger, accusations, and hurtful words that can never be retrieved.
Or we resort to a variety of passive aggressive tactics as we pout or dole out the silent treatment to an audience whose energy has already been drained by yet another manipulative performance.
Or we finally tuck it all inside, bury it deep, and morph into victims as we slowly sink into the mire of despair and depression.
And who has time for that.
'Cause this does nothing to build any kind of long-lasting trust or strengthen a relationship or truly invite anyone to come alongside us in a time of need.
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A safe person doesn't have a crystal ball.
But they will invite you to speak truth to them ... with love, respect, and kindness. A safe person will want the best for you. They might ask you hard questions, but they'll be spoken in a Christ-like spirit. They won't condemn you, preach at you, or shame you. They will want to know you at a deeper level. They will want to love you well.
A safe person will invite you to get 'healthy and growing and full of love.'
Linda
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