Come to Jesus Talk
A confrontation concerning a harsh reality, a Come to Jesus Talk is honest, painful, and with good intentions. A true friend tells you the truth, unsugarcoated.
We tend to avoid being honest and harsh when it comes to topics of life, loved ones, and plans for the future. We wish others well, we want to avoid being the bearer of bad news, we can try to be optimistic, we think there is more value in agreeing. The other person may already be aware, they may be working on the problem, they may be struggling, they may be enjoying their ignorance or intentionally avoiding facing reality for various reasons.
We avoid real talk in preference for bonding talk, social talk, practical talk, or pleasantries. Which means one can have many discussions in a day, week, or month, yet not communicate much of any meaning with others.
A true friend confronts. A true friend tells you when you have spinach in your teeth so you can remove it before seeing others. Better to have a moment of dealing with an adjustment than to go about a day with strangers distracted.
A good Come to Jesus Talk is to the point: like ripping off a bandaid, it is most effective when it is not buried in flattery or nonsense. It is from good intentions: meant to help, it concerns a matter of importance and addressing it should work towards an improvement. It is void of value judgments, open to new information, and ready to adapt to what is best for the receiver.