Phase Two: Fearlessness,with forethought, is key

Phase Two of this Operation says to go for what you want and never be afraid to speak your mind. Love all but don't hold back a gentle rebuke when necessary. This idea came to me when I was dealing with a friend of mine. I've always had a problem with talking too much and often without thinking but as I got older, I realized that this wasn't such a bad trait. Anyways, this friend was the type to always put themselves and their needs above others. You know the type that asks for a ride then is never ready on time. Or the ones that always show up 20-30 minutes late with some ridiculous "you'd have to have been born yesterday to believe this" type of excuse. My friend even at one point asked me to meet them at an event I wasn't planning to attend and they never showed up! For awhile I would just quietly seethe and put off  saying anything to them. I would make excuses like "well, they didn't mean it" or "that's just how they are" for them but still be mad at the end of the day. Finally, I'd had enough. I ended up telling my friend off and not speaking to them for a couple days. After I'd cooled off, I realized that if I'd just been honest with my friend from the beginning, my feelings wouldn't have come tumbling out in such a rush of anger like that and we both could've been spared a lot of hurt feelings.
So the lesson in all this is simple: speak your mind when it's needed but always with loving kindness. Of course we can turn to the Word for more on this topic. If we look at Miriam for example, we can learn a lot from her example. Miriam was the sister of Moses and Aaron. When we first meet her (Exodus 2), she is putting her baby brother in the basket and sending him floating down the river to spare his life. Her quick thinking definitely makes her my girl! There's nothing like a woman who thinks on her toes. It's later on in the story that her lack of thinking gets her in trouble with God. After Moses got married, Miriam realizes that she will no longer be the most important in the tribe so she begins to talk a bunch of mess about Moses' new wife. Not smart sister! Of course, God overhears her conversation and punishes her by giving her an incurable disease. So, to recap: before you criticize someone, examine your motives to do so, say whatever you have to say directly to that person and always say it with love. Otherwise, the consequences of your actions could leave you hurt and publicly embarrassed.

That's all for this phase, good friends! For futher reading on the topic of correction and constructive crisitism see: Jb 19:3-5, I Cor 4:15, I Cor 1:4-6, Gal 2:11,12, Jn 14-27-29 and II Cor 2:4