Follow up to this post and Ephesian 4:15 about speaking the truth in love.
This is one of the hardest things to do, but here is something interesting about it. There are a lot of people who can speak truth with no problem. The doing it IN LOVE part…not so much!
It’s one thing to tell me I’m ugly. We would know you are a liar and the truth is not in you! Just kidding!
Seriously, let’s say I have an attitude that needs to be confronted. Or perhaps someone has a certain behavior that may compromise their testimony. It’s one thing to attack me and tell me my attitude sucks – or to assault the other person with a 10 lb. Bible and raining down a thousand verses of scripture on their heads.
That’s a whole lot different than approaching the individual from a heart of love (as opposed to self-righteousness) and humility (rather than pride, which got the devil kicked out of Heaven) hoping the best for the individual you are confronting. People attack others and use the pitiful excuse of “speaking truth” when the truth is they do it because it makes them feel superior. That’s just wrong.
The “spiritual” formula is simple:
(TRUTH) – (LOVE) = SPIRITUAL PRIDE & LEGALISM
(TRUTH) + (LOVE) = SPIRITUAL MATURITY & GROWTH
How are you speaking truth?
