Speak Truth – Be Real.
Have you chosen a word for the year? Many of my acquaintances have. I decided I needed a word. I tried. And tried. And couldn’t because two words battled for the top spot. Though they are similar in meaning, they are different. So, after much thought, I chose a phrase instead. Speak Truth – Be Real. (No grammar police allowed. It’s my phrase, and I’m sticking with it.)
I’m going to work hard to speak truth and be real every day that God gives me breath.
I think it’s time.
The generation I grew up in believed in the truth but didn’t always practice it. They’re not alone. I not only suspect other generations are the same, but I’ve also witnessed it.
My generation is the Baby Boomers. The Woodstock Hippie turned Career Yuppie. The self-righteous, need it now, credit craving generation who became two income families to support insatiable appetites for stuff. The beginning of the television era where what you watched was accepted as normal, and divorce rates skyrocketed.
Somehow, the truth got buried under “me” and reality watered down under “acceptance.”
Truth is a state.
Whether I speak it or not, truth exists. It’s genuine. Factual. Honest.
Back in the day, truth said that not every woman was supposed to look like or become Twiggy. But the Baby Boomers didn’t pay attention and promoted unhealthy and unrealistic body images. Oh my, how that lie has morphed into a very unrealistic sense of self.
See the other word hidden in that lie – Real?
Real is quality.
It’s authentic. Genuine. Sincere. Real is how truth is supposed to be presented. Why have we distorted it so much?
Dear Baby Boomers, Seriously, can we solely blame today’s generation if too many of them demonstrate unreasonable expectations and base tolerance on misconstrued values that we initiated by not speaking truth and being unrealistic about needs versus wants.
How refreshing it is to hear a youth speak what is real as it is written in God’s word. Thank the Lord that there are younger people who know the truth. They are the ones in the position to set future generations free.
“Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 nlt
Real truth doesn’t exist to bend to my every desire or need. The reality is that the entire creation, myself included, is meant to and will bend to God Almighty.
My phrase for the year matters.
Because I want to be an example to generations X, Y, and Z.
I want to be real, like the Greatest Generation of the earlier 1900’s who earned their title because they lived selfless, sacrificial lives. I want to be tough; like the silent generation that followed, who lived in simple means. They had it hard.
Okay, all generations have it hard in some unique way.
Don’t all generations benefit from a little bit of hard truth, though? Frankly, hard times is when a conversation with God gets real. And more conversation with God would be beneficial about now. The scripture in John says, “if you remain faithful to my teachings…” Face it. That can be hard. But what’s the promise in the same verse? “the truth will set you free.”
Perhaps I should have chosen the phrase – Speak Truth – Be Real – Be Free.