The other day as I was reading a blog
there was a line of words that stood out for me.
“Love that isn’t afraid to speak truth,
love that loves me enough to risk the necessary words.”

Someone who loves me enough
to risk the necessary words
someone who cares enough
to love and confront and walk alongside. 

To risk means:
exposure to the chance of injury (in this case ’emotional’) or loss;
to venture upon;
to take the chance; another way to think about it:
lay on the line, put on the line,
a person considered with respect; vulnerability

At some point in our lives each of us will have to risk something
in order to keep our most intimate relationships healthy.
It might be a family member or it might be a good friend
but we may have to take a  risk
in order for that relationship to go to a deeper level.
To risk is hard.
It often brings out the uncomfortable moments in a relationship.
It is very similar to saying,
“I love you enough to not let you stay this way.”

When I was in counseling my counselor would often say to me,
“I know this is hard for you to hear
but I am telling you because I care.”
It is in our ‘caring’ where risk plays a role.
Truth telling is always risky.
It seems to me that if we care deeply and love honestly
the truth will be a door that can open the opportunity
for the words that need to be spoken
and prayerfully the heart and ears
that need to listen
will hear.