Call A Spade A Spade

So if you've ever had an extended conversation with me, you’ve heard this saying. Especially if you’ve ever come to me for advice or heard me teach. “Call a spade a spade” is one of my favorite phrases because it evokes such honesty. Don’t try to pretend something is different than what it really is. Just admit what the real situation is without making excuses. Call a spade a spade.

And this revelation, how important it is to try and see things how they are, removing the rose colored glasses, has probably helped me grow and mature more than anything else. When I was younger, I would make excuses, I would lie to get myself out of situations. I would do this with my family, with my teachers, and even with GOD.

This tendency goes back to the fall (Genesis 3). After Adam and Eve disobeyed GOD, they hid from Him. Reading this breaks my heart how GOD calls out for them. They would always go for a walk in the evening, and after they ate the fruit, they were ashamed so they hid. Of course GOD knew where they were. He had to sit and watch them as they chose to disobey Him and reject His love for them.

Then Adam makes excuse. He said that “the woman you gave me. . .” He didn’t call a spade. He didn’t own up and say I’m sorry GOD, I didn’t listen to you.

And I think this tendency is one of if not the most crippling things in a Christian’s life. Because when we mask, or excuse, or hide our sin, we simply delay the repentance process. But CHRIST came so that we could enjoy life to the fullest (John 10). And in order to this, we must walk in the freedom that comes only from forgiveness. But when we don’t admit that we’ve sinned and try to cover it with something other than the blood of CHRIST, we delay the repentance process.

So in our sin, there is a HUGE need for us to call a spade a spade.