By: Jennifer Richardson Holt
Ideas come from the strangest places. This is most assuredly true in the subject matter for today’s blog. I guess I owe this one to my daughter though that is not a development that is particularly new since she very frequently gives me fodder for my writing. She is a virtual wellspring of all sorts of intrigue. I know all of you think I am biased and you would be most assuredly correct, however, she really does come up with all sorts of stuff. But, in this case, that is neither here nor there because while she pointed me toward today’s theme, she didn’t technically produce it herself. She enjoys watching videos of all types, but it was the content of one in particular caught my ear. In this video a boy, his friends and his father, and occasionally his sister and mom, go on these adventures finding clues and searching for treasure. I get the appeal. Who doesn’t love a treasure hunt? Not to mention that these hunts do in fact result in actual treasure so definite appeal there. But in searching for clues and solving riddles the dad imparts little nuggets of wisdom. It was one of these tidbits of value that really struck me so today I tell you what was said and perhaps you too will find it of worth.
This particular treasure hunt had taken them to the island of Maui. Yes, I know, oh to be a kid on random treasure hunts with real treasure in a tropical paradise. In their adventures they meet a native Hawaiian who tells them all about the culture of the island’s indigenous peoples. He also trains them in ancient warfare and weapon making, which is all very interesting, especially to a group of adolescent boys. They are taught about making an “ihe” which is the Hawaiian word for spear and other weapons using wood with points of stone and shark’s teeth. They also decorate them with feathers and try to do some carving and honestly, I’ve always been by how all peoples from then until now tend to decorate their weapons and make them appealing to the eye since if you get right down to it, that seems an odd thing to do. Anyway, in this video while these boys were eagerly sharpening stones and inserting serrated teeth into their formidable creations the father began to talk about weapons. He went on to say, in wisdom that is most certainly not new, that the tongue was actually the greatest weapon a person had. It was here when my ears perked at the sentiment that was cleverly being presented in a format for kids. I am thankful that I began to pay attention because it was at this point that some expert level knowledge was presented. He told of how the truth spoken in love was a powerful weapon. He compared it to the ihe he held in his hand with a sharpened edge at one end but with elaborate carvings and colorful feathers. He told how the truth spoken in love will seem beautiful to those who love the truth but seem dangerous or even deadly to those who despise the truth, an apt analogy for the spear in his hand.
I think it was at this point that I frustrated my daughter by insisting that we pause the video so I could get something to make notes and write down what he was saying. He had definitely made a statement there. I know that, in line with the old adage, the truth can sometimes hurt or not be exactly what we want to hear and there the comparison to the business end of a weapon is terribly accurate. How many times has someone said something that cut deeply and stuck with us leaving a wound with a delicate, often easily opened scar? I think one very pivotal point that the idea at hand trying to make though is that we are referring to the truth, BUT, the truth spoken in love. If someone asks you if an outfit looks good and it absolutely does not, the truth spoken in love could gently lead them to make another wardrobe choice while the truth spoken in a version without love could very quickly turn into a wound, a war or worse! Applause for accidental alliteration…wait, did I just do it again?!?!
It seems to me that the key to making the presenting of the truth a tool that lives up to its potential is to speak it with love. Even if the truth isn’t something someone wants to hear or even agrees with (and yes, I do feel you’re welcome to disagree with the truth, I mean, if it really is the truth then you’re wrong but you’re welcome to be) then when it is approached in love, a person would have a hard time being bitter about it. I suppose it all goes back to what Mary Poppins told us, “Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down”. At times the truth is what we call one of those big horse type pills which are very difficult to swallow but, how could someone begrudge a person sharing it when done when it is sweetened with love? The person who truly wants the truth will see the weapon for its beauty and usefulness while the person who does not will only see the danger, however with love applied, even the sharpest blade can be become a resource to trim away the layers to get to the heart of the matter. It may still be a sword, it may still have risks, but the blows they are softened and the motives are more wholesome. The change can be as monumental as to turn a moment of evisceration to a soft heart opening gesture all with the change of presentation. This is a compelling and mighty piece of knowledge indeed!
So, that was the moment a video for kids grabbed me by the brain, sat me down and made me think. It was so profound, and put so simply. I had certainly never thought to apply such abstract ideologies to kids making primitive weapons yet here I was rolling the words over and over in my head and dissecting them all the while seeing little boys tie feathers on sticks. We have all been told over and over that the truth is always best and I would wholeheartedly agree. But surprisingly enough, it was a Hawaiian treasure hunt being watched by an enraptured kindergartener that reminded me that for the truth to really grasp its full promise, it must be wrapped soundly and carefully in love.
Prose and Possibilities 