Behind The Curtain

A couple of years ago I recall hearing how a friend of mine spoke very matter of fact to another person I knew. It wasn’t rude or disrespectful, but it was very short and blunt. I was close enough to this friend to later say, “Hey, don’t you think you should have explained yourself a little more? Or added a little more sweetness to your reply? I’m sure you hurt her feelings.”

Side note: To be my friend, you must be okay with % honesty. And I expect it back.

My friend replied, “You have no idea how many times she has lied to me or about me.” My friend continued on, “I have to keep what I say to her very short and to the point or it will get twisted and somehow used against me.”

“Oh,” is all I could say. I felt myself shrink a little. I thought I was being a “good Christian” by making her aware, by calling her out. I recognized my own self righteous attitude of thinking I knew best of how these people should interact without knowing the back story.

I didn’t see what had happened behind the curtain of their relationship.

I firmly believe in being Jesus to those around you. I’m not advocating disrespect or rudeness, but Jesus called a viper a viper. Jesus was full of rebukes.

He answered questions with questions and didn’t give the Pharisees what they wanted. He knew they were manipulative and refused to play their games.

And Jesus teaches us boundaries.

The Word itself says “Let your yes be yes and your no be no.” You don’t have to go on and on to justify your yes or no to someone who has repeatedly hurt you in the past. (Matthew 5:37)

In one of the last instructions Paul gives the church in Corinth he encourages them to “do everything in love.”

While we should always communicate in love, it doesn’t have to be a dissertation like this post I’ve managed to write.

Good night, my fellow Facebookians.

#love #boundaries #Jesus #behindthecurtain #ramblings