Dumbledore once said that the truth is a beautiful and terrible thing, and as such it should be treated with caution.
If you know Harry Potter, you know that in this moment he’s talking about a particularly painful truth, and how to judge whether Harry, still a child, is ready to hear it. But you also know that as time goes by, the understandable, well-intentioned reluctance of Dumbledore to reveal the truth to Harry actually becomes a source of pain, loss, and suffering for both of them, and eventually Dumbledore begins to regret his caution.
Had he been more open from that first moment–had he trusted more, had he feared less–some great evils may have been prevented, and some immense good could have come from it.
How often we do the same thing in our own lives. The truth we know is a source of power–power to change everything–and in our core, we sense this. But the potency of the truth certainly is a terrifying thing; once unleashed, how to control it? Once made known, once opened up and vulnerable, how to protect ourselves? It often seems better to conceal truth, especially painful truth, in order to preserve our sense of autonomy, certainty, even our identity.
The truth really is a beautiful and terrible thing. But what I’ve had the opportunity to learn recently, and what I want my son to know as he navigates the murky waters of this human life, is that the truth’s ultimate power is healing. And that healing can only come about when the truth is revealed.
Telling the truth is not always easy. Sometimes it feels like the least easy thing to do–especially when it means telling someone you’ve hurt them, or revealing your own hidden shame. But here is the truth about secrets: you have to hold tightly to them lest they leak out. You think, by so doing, that you are controlling them, but what you come to realize is that your secrets are actually controlling you. And secrets are cruel masters.
The truth, on the other hand, is a secret set free–and in turn, a you set free from its burden. Jesus said it: “the truth will set you free.” And he meant the truth, the whole truth, the unashamed truth that begs for forgiveness and mercy rather than covering itself in a shield of darkness. The truth that may not be easy to say, but that eases your conscience in the telling.
Psalm 34:4 says “I sought the LORD, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
What is the truth you are afraid to tell? Set it free. God’s way is truth, and if you seek it, your fears will shrink to nothing in the presence of the One who saves. Secrets and lies can hold no power over you when you trust Him to deliver you. GOD is truth, and the truth will set you free.
Thoughtmoot 