I'm always ranting and nagging on here about how we should be writers and communicators of truth.

That speaking and writing truth is what God’s called us to do, so we can have integrity and change the world.

I believe that with all my heart.

It's why I do what I do as a ghostwriter and writing coach (not to mention a preacher and teacher).

But…

Jesus did say something intriguing to the contrary and I was reminded last week when I saw a quote:

”Not everyone deserves your truth.” (I’m sorry. I don’t remember who said it, but if you do, leave a comment.)

Or as Jesus would say:

"Don't cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces." (Matthew 7:6)

Did Jesus cast His pearls before swine that turned and tore Him to pieces? It seems like it, but it also seems that it was God’s plan at the time.

So how do you know when to share and when not to share?

Here are 3 ways to know this is not the time to say (or write) what you think:

1. When your audience is actively resistant to truth

Jesus's metaphor about pearls and swine wasn't about intellectual capacity but about willful rejection.

When someone has demonstrated that they're not merely unconvinced but actively hostile toward what you have to share, continuing to offer truth becomes an exercise in futility. The Stoics recognized this principle in their practice of katalepsis—the art of discerning receptivity before investing emotional and intellectual energy.

Truth requires fertile ground; it cannot take root in concrete. This isn't about intellectual elitism but about respecting the sacred agency of others to accept or reject what's offered.

When someone has shown through consistent patterns that they will distort, weaponize, or dismiss your truth regardless of how it's presented, continuing to share becomes a form of self-harm. Your truth deserves better stewardship than to be repeatedly thrown into a hostile environment.

2. When you're possessed rather than informed by your perspective

As Jordan Peterson notes, ideological possession occurs when you aren't "integrating the specifics of your personal experience with what you've been taught to synthesize something that's genuine."

That is, you don’t really believe what you say you believe. You don’t even understand it!

Truth requires embodiment. Have you lived inside your truth long enough for it to be transformed by your humanity? Have you allowed it to be challenged, refined, and tempered by life's complexity?

Undigested truth is often regurgitated ideology—especially on social media.

Before sharing, examine whether your "truth" has grown roots in the soil of your actual experience or if you're simply repeating what sounds right.

The difference between passing along information and sharing wisdom is personal integration.

3. When timing would crush rather than cultivate growth

Truth is a seed that requires proper soil conditions. The farmer doesn't plant in winter, not because the seed isn't valuable, but because the conditions won't support its growth.

Similarly, human hearts have seasons of receptivity. The Talmudic concept of lifnei iver (placing a stumbling block before the blind) can apply to overwhelming someone with truth they aren't equipped to process.

Jesus Himself said, "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth" (John 16:12-13)

Ask: "Will this truth, at this moment, be a stepping stone or a crushing weight?" Discernment isn't just about what to share, but when to share it (and how to share it, but that’s for another post).

The wisdom isn't in withholding truth permanently, but in recognizing that truth is meant to serve life, not dominate it.

As carriers of truth, we must approach its dispensation like a physician who knows that even medicine, administered improperly, can become poison.

Jeff B. Miller

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