“Loving the truth means not only affirming it, but rather living it, bearing witness to it in your work.”

Pope Francis

In this line of work, you are a collector of perspectives. One meeting, one spoken phrase, one email exchange can generate an infinite number of interpretations and recollections.As a facilitator and consultant, ninety-nine times out of one hundred, you don’t know the whole truth. So, you do your best to help those you serve weave together disparate impressions into a cohesive and hopefully comprehensive narrative of what has happened in order to help people move forward.

Recently, I was listening to someone give me their version of “what really happened.” However, in this case, not only did I know some objective and important facts about the situation, but I also knew the person on the other end of the phone knew those same facts and yet wasn’t sharing them. Based on what this gentleman was sharing with me it seemed like perhaps the whole truth wasn’t the best truth for the point he was trying to make.

After the call I was bothered by the perceived lack of authenticity. Without sharing the details, I lamented to a good friend who sarcastically replied, “Well it’s a good thing you’re never generous to yourself in how you remember or describe situations!” Bullseye! Especially when I feel hurt or angry, how often am I more generous with my recollection of my past actions than those of others? What details do I choose to omit so as to make the truth less inconvenient? Am I always the victim or can I push myself to at least imagine how I might be the villain? In my walk with the Lord, do I ask Him to reveal everything I need to see about the situation, or do I simply want Him to finish the story I am writing?

I decided to give the man I was judging the benefit of the doubt and the benefit of my perspective. As we move into this week, let's pray that in sharing our perspectives with others we don’t get our way, or get in the way, but we show others His way.

by Daniel Cellucci

October 03, 2022




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