Remaining silent to avoid confrontation makes about as much sense as buying an old parachute to save some money.

If you’re looking to save some money the next time you go skydiving, you probably won’t have to wait in line to buy an old parachute. It seems they’re not very popular with the crowd that likes to leap from airplanes.

Why?

Well, the answer is pretty obvious but, it’s because there’s a good chance that what you’re buying won’t work well when you need it. And when it comes to parachutes, those are kinda important when you need them. When they don’t work well, the sound of “splat” might be the last thing you hear before you’re on that red-eye flight to the Pearly Gates.

Silence can be like that.

Sometimes, we go to great lengths to avoid confrontation in our relationships. We do this for several reasons but among the most popular is that we like harmony, or at least the absence of conflict. We also like to be liked.

We see confrontation as something that will prevent those from happening.

But there’s one thing we need to remember about confrontation… It’s not about the fight, it’s about the healing.

In that sense, respectful and unselfish confrontation can be like a parachute in a troubled relationship. It can be opened whenever you decide that freefalling is getting you nowhere fast – that you need to glide down safely – to a landing spot where healing can take place.

Today’s Tiny Words. Big Life. Bible verse is from the beautiful and powerful book of Psalms. Here, King David is singing a song of praise to God at the dedication of his palace. As he recounts the power and blessings from God, he also remembers the hardships. He asks God to deliver him and attempts to “reason” with God about his own life. “What is gained if I am silenced?”

In other words, King David is “reminding” God that his life will not be silent. It will mean something.

The Tiny Words. Big Life. “AHA!” moment is this: Pray to see confrontation as a means to grow rather than an opportunity to “win”. Pray that the fear of confrontation will vanish and your confidence in speaking the truth will guide your conversations. Pray that your words will be delivered in kindness and in love and that God will use the discussion to mold your character and glorify His name.

And remember, the next time you need a parachute, spend a few extra bucks and get a new one. Your landings will be much more enjoyable.

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Psalm 30:8-10

⁸ To you, Lord, I called;
    to the Lord I cried for mercy:
⁹ “What is gained if I am silenced,
    if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
    Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
¹⁰ Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me;
    Lord, be my help.”