
How to Navigate Hard Conversations with Truth and Love
Jan 22
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Have you ever had to have that hard conversation, admit you were wrong, or do something you really didn’t want to do? We all have. Mark Twain is attributed as the first person to say, “If you have to eat a frog, don’t stare at it too long.” This week, I faced a couple of difficult emails I needed to write. When I woke up in the middle of the night thinking and praying about them, I knew it was time to act.
In both emails, I needed to balance honesty and kindness—something that isn’t always easy. In Ephesians 4:15, Paul reminds us that the Body of Christ matures when we learn to speak the truth with love. I believe this deeply. But why do so many of us prefer to speak negatively about others rather than honestly to them? For me, this has been an acquired skill.
I used to pride myself on delivering bad news without offending people. While this approach sounds good on the surface, it wasn’t always honest. I often softened the truth with nice words, making it easier for others to take—but also easier to miss. This approach prevented people from truly understanding the problem and growing from it.