Straight Talk in a Crooked Age

There’s a business book I’ve never read, but I’ve always liked the title: Radical Candor.

Candor just means saying what you mean. Being honest. Speaking plainly. And in an age thick with passive-aggression, vague hints, image management, and polished nonsense, someone who talks straight is a rare breed. When you meet someone like that, it might catch you off guard at first, but eventually, it clears the fog and disarms you.

Straight talk means you don’t have to guess. No decoding. No tone-reading. No hidden message buried under ten layers of soft-sell. You know what someone’s saying because they say it. And somehow, that kind of clarity doesn’t just help you understand them, it helps you understand yourself.

That said, straight talk is often mistaken for something it’s not. People think it means being blunt. But blunt and honest aren’t the same thing. Some folks are just rude with no filter and call it “honesty,” like they’re doing you a favor. They’re not.

Blunt talk is like a hammer. It’s loud and forceful. And sometimes you need a hammer, like when your kid’s about to run into traffic. “Stop!” has no preface. No nuance. Just raw urgency. That’s fair. But outside of that kind of moment, bluntness usually just leaves bruises.

Straight talk is different. It’s not shouting. It’s not shocking. It’s not a hammer—it’s a clean, sharp chisel. It’s about clarity. A straight line from A to B. It skips the fluff. Doesn’t circle the alphabet. Just says what needs saying.

The world we live in avoids this. People couch disagreement in flattery. They load their words with disclaimers. They’re so scared to offend that they forget how to speak. So when someone does speak plainly, even kindly, it sounds jarring. But straight talk isn’t cold. It’s not harsh. It’s actually kind.

That’s right. Kind.

Because straight talk doesn’t manipulate. It doesn’t flatter. It doesn’t drip with sarcasm. It’s just the truth, given like a good gift: clearly, carefully, and at the right time.

Scripture has a name for that kind of speech: “a word fitly spoken.”

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.”
— Proverbs 25:11

“To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!”
— Proverbs 15:23

That’s what we’re after. Not just accuracy. Aptness. Words in season. Speech that’s not just true, but timely.

God uses all kinds of speech. Parables. Proverbs. Rebuke. Riddles. And sometimes a simple yes or no. Jesus could be evasive, but His words always rang true. Even the riddles had an edge of clarity.

Proverbs pounds the same drum again and again: words matter.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” (Proverbs 18:21)
“A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.” (Proverbs 15:4)

It also warns us about flattery and deceit:

“A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.” (Proverbs 26:28)
“A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.” (Proverbs 29:5)

God honors truth. But not just any truth—truth told at the right time, in the right way.

“Whoever gives an honest answer kisses the lips.” (Proverbs 24:26)

And sometimes, the best answer is silence:

“When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.” (Proverbs 10:19)
“Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise.” (Proverbs 17:28)

So no, you don’t have to speak all the time. But when you do? Say what needs saying.

Say it straight. Say it with love. Say it with wisdom.

Because straight talk isn’t just good communication, it’s godliness.