Subvert the lies by living the truth

As I mentioned the other day, I am reading Let God: Spiritual Conversations with Francois Fenelon, by Winn Collier. It has been good so far...

Despite the homemade-looking typeset, I like how these "letters" from Fenelon (as interpreted by Collier) are grouped into themes, but each separate writing is only 2-3 pages. I like reading short bits like that.

In the introduction Collier brings out this point from Fenelon's writing: Of his correspondents who have asked for his advice (FF), "He suggests that they subvert the lies by simply living the truth." 

Yes! Is that not something we need today? And, not truth as in "Let me say some nasty thing that we're all thinking"... but, more... truth as frankness. Good, honest, and true.

It's like... I was proud of my wife recently. Someone she works with said something that hurt her feelings (among other things). Rather than letting it fester and create a further divide, or gossiping to everyone else about it, she asked to meet with the person one-on-one. She shared how what was said made her feel, truthfully. There was no blame, no accusation, just... this is how that made me feel. The world could use more of that.

Regarding the subject of the book, Collier says this on p. xvi of the introduction:

Many of us long for a wise elder voice to provide us with spiritual direction. We do not want to be coddled or cajoled. We do not want to be given small-minded moralism. We long for depth and authenticity. We do not want a quick fix or a trite answer. We just want a wiser voice, one who knows God and his ways. And we want to learn how to live in our world in a manner that is truly good...

That! That's what I want. I want that with God, and with the people who are part of my world. Unfortunately, I am not very good at it. So, I'm trying to be better... or to allow God to help me.

I have read about a quarter of the book so far, and have underlined probably half of that. It is slow reading, with nothing fancy or resolved. It's just my style.

I hope to have more to write on this book in the future...