Carefrontation: a word used in lieu of confrontation to sugar things over so that one isn’t stressed by the fact that they are truly having a confrontation. Definition two: one of the dumbest words I’ve ever heard.
Some people find confrontation to be negative, but I beg you to look at the etymology of this words and realize confrontation is an act of caring. I mean, some people confront negatively, but in general I think that confronting shows that one does care enough about a friendship to show light on something hurting that other person in order to ameliorate their situation, which is also affecting you. It takes a lot of courage and care.
“Confront” comes from the Latin words “com” and “front.” “Com” is an adverb meaning together. This is a social act, communal. “Front” is forehead, noting that this is something done face-to-face. So if you’re talking behind someone’s back you’re gossiping not confronting. In my mind, I see two people coming together to make something better. It’s good to confront, evaluate, and assess things. In this broken world we need these things. If we had no guidelines or boundaries, we’d be crashed in the ditch.
I can’t deny that we tend to look at guidelines and boundaries in a negative light. Yet, as cliche as it sounds they are there to protect our hearts. Remember how in Proverbs we are told to guard them? Making boundaries is one way to do that. God did not give the law to be a task master, but rather to be a loving father. Think about this humorous example, the game pinball. A ball is shot up a shoot. It gets hit and tossed by different buttons and levers to get lights. Lights are points, lots of points. If pinball didn’t have all those buttons and levers to keep the ball up then it would fall and you would lose.
So if the word “confrontation” sends shivers down your spine and you’re tempted to say “carefrontation” STOP and think that you’re bravely doing this because you care and want to make the ailed situation better. Furthermore, you’re not doing it alone. It may hurt (well, it does hurt) and such, but in the long run, in the big picture the situation is so small. The big picture shows the growth that has come through the exercise of building character, by expressing concern, courage, and accountability.
