“I choose to believe that people can handle the truth.” ~ Dr. Laura
Today Dr. Laura Schlessinger told a story that stuck with me. Here is how it goes.
A woman took her car to a mechanic because of a noise it was making. The mechanic popped the hood, adjusted something and closed the hood and said, “That will be $100.”
The woman was outraged and said, “$100?! All you did was adjust some little part.”
The mechanic looked at her and said, “I didn’t charge you anything for the adjustment. I’m charging you $100 for the knowledge.”
I loved that story. We’re always so busy tip-toeing around the truth because we’re afraid of hurting someone’s feelings, but if they don’t know any better? What is that worth to them?
I loved the day when a beautiful friend, MaryLou Lerma, came up behind me at church and untucked some hair in the back of my head that was crunched under the headset microphone I was wearing and then adjusted my look. She’s a lioness. Lionesses will groom each other. She was making sure I didn’t embarrass the tribe. I love her for that. She didn’t worry about whether I’d be offended that I didn’t check myself before I got ready to go on the platform in front of a live audience and Internet. She did it for me, and for our team. This is her using her truth, her information, of a situation.
It’s quite a bit different from the woman who uses her truth to be mean. “That dress is hideous.” While it may be truth, it doesn’t need to be spoken. She is not a lioness as she is on the attack due to her jealousy and low self esteem. She uses her truth to wield a sword. Women such as these can dish it out but they can’t take it.
Now, could it be that there would be a time to give wardrobe advice? Of course! When you’ve developed a relationship and you don’t feel superior but know you can be at service and have the trust of the person you are speaking to. Quite a different scenario.
I choose to believe that people can handle the truth.
I choose to believe that not all truth needs to be spoken.
I choose to believe that one day as strong mature women, we’ll all figure out which is which and which is witch.
Pastor Susan 
When posed with the either-or question: is it more important to be honest or polite – most Americans would probably opt for ‘honest’ as the preferred response.
Inverting the responses, it is too hard to justify dishonesty.
Other societies, with a less individualist cultural subset, might opt for polite. (If you could get an honest answer from them.)
There is a place to cut the Gordian Knot and respond honestly, but not necessarily ‘entirely forthcoming.’
‘Daddy, how did you like the cake I baked?’
‘Knowing it came from you made it very special.’
Love it!!!! So very true. If our heart stands for truth, we just have to speak it in love.