279 Let Your Yes Mean Yes

Transcript Speaker 1: Let your yes mean yes. And your no. Me? No. Anything more is from the evil one. Speaker 2: Welcome back to Scripture for your inner outcasts. It's June 13th, 2026, Saturday of the 10th week in Ordinary Time. Today we are joined by Justin Brown. Justin is a Catholic therapist licensed in Illinois and Texas. Speaker 1: Hello and happy Saturday and happy seventh birthday to my son Ambrose. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Today's scripture comes from the Gospel of Matthew chapter five verse 37. Let your yes mean yes and your no mean no. Anything more is from the evil one. When I hear this verse, my attention is drawn to my young exile part that responds with fear of rejection. This young, sensitive, warm, caring and empathic part not only greatly fears being rejected, but he also has great concern for others being or feeling rejected or offended. This younger part of me has concerns about the potential consequences of expressing a clear yes or a clear no. For starters, I grew up in the Midwest where yeah, no means no and no. Yes means yes. Also, my family moved to a few different states as I grew up, which meant new schools, new peer groups, and a strong desire, arguably a need to fit in and belong. This led oftentimes to parts inhibiting my convictions, my emotions, my beliefs, and authentic expression. I can feel the tension of holding back the heaviness that comes with that. The tightness of restriction and the turmoil that would create in my system with other parts who just wanted to be seen and heard. But my protectors certainly didn't want this part to show sensitivity, and didn't want to risk rejection by sharing a strong yes or a no on something that could offend or make me an outcast in my external systems. My young, tender, caring and warm part, which I think of as an ember. This younger part of me just wants to be with others, share with others, care for and be curious about others, and sees the good in everyone around him. Speaker 1: So when there is the possibility of others not liking something that he has to say, or agreeing with a belief that he holds, it can be really frightening to him. I can understand why some of my other parts work proactively to make sure that I don't offend anyone, or risk being rejected by someone who he just wants to be with. But I want to offer an update to my parts and yours to let them know that while that was helpful as a child, and I was using the tools and approaches that I knew at the time, I am an adult now. We are adults now with more knowledge, resources, capabilities, perspectives. And I also want to offer this insight. I want to share with you young exiles who fear rejection. Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. In John chapter 14 verse six. We also know Jesus is love in authentically expressing our identity as sons and daughters of God our Father. Therefore, expressing truth Jesus, letting our yes be yes and our no. Me no. We are sharing God's love also Jesus with others. It's better to be rejected for truth than to be accepted for lies or half truths. If someone feels offended by what is true, we can be secure in knowing it comes from love. Remember, we are already accepted and claimed by our loving father. And even if we may feel rejected by others, we are still brothers and sisters. Speaker 2: If you're enjoying the content of this podcast, if you're a Catholic who wants to deepen their human formation, then the resilient Catholics community might be a good fit for you. We're accepting applications for the most recent cohort, named after Saint Mary Magdalene, from June 1st to June 30th, 2026. Learn more in the description of today's episode. Speaker 1: Let's end with our invocations. Our Lady, our mother. Entire of knots. Pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us. Saint John the Baptist pray for us.