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 PLAIN
TALK is written for mature people, and we don’t mean X-rated.
We try to write as we speak — kindly disposed, yet with no
desire to coddle or “baby” the reader. It is our nature to
be a bit whimsical, and no effort is made either to hide or to
exaggerate this. We read a lot, and are told we tend to write in
a bookish fashion — except by those who say we are downright
country. We have long sought to develop an objective approach to
matters, hoping not to forget people in the process. Some say we
never go in the front door of a subject if we can find a back
door; but we say we are trying to get to the bottom of an issue,
and avoid prejudices by the presentation.
All
of which is said (back door) in order to say that we believe
nature people should be able to speak plainly to one another. If
we believe a man is going to Hell, we would like to be able to
tell him so, and convince him that we are sorry about it. If we
believe he is going to Heaven, we would like to be able to
rejoice with him without having him think he is being buttered
up for a donation.
We
do not believe abusive language is a sign of soundness; nor, for
that matter, that
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kind and respectful communication is a
sign of weakness. We must confess that we tend to judge a man
somewhat unstable when his words are ambiguous and he is always
being “misunderstood.” We are also wary of one who will
burst out with some wild statement, and then when it is
challenged, adopt a sweet and “hurt” attitude. Sometimes
this happens when one speaks or writes hastily, with too little
thought for what he is saying. But if this becomes a habit, that
man should learn to keep quiet.
Paul
wrote to the Colossians, “Let your speech be always with
grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to
answer each one” (3:6). The seasoning is neither sugar nor hot
peppers; but is wholesome, palatable, wise and beneficial. Seems
to us this calls for directness — perhaps a “yea, yea” or
“nay, nay.”
Mature
men and women, with genuine interest in spiritual matters, will
lay their “chips” aside, and communicate in a fair and
meaningful way.
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