The Cold Hard Truth...Sprinkled with Love

Currently, "Truth" and the way it is presented appears to be a hot topic among bloggers. I'm sure there are various schools of thought about Truth and how to speak it, but Scripture is clear about the whole matter:

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love [emphasis mine] , we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. ~Eph 4:14-16 NASB

It is clear that in order for it to work properly the Body of Christ requires treating one another in love. No big surprise there. So how does one go about making sure the truth is spoken with love? To be perfectly honest, I don't have a clue. There are, however, certain things that bear witness in my spirit, and I can use these things as tools while I learn how to be loving in my speech.

Example: Having a motive that is generated by love isn't enough. People do not see or automatically understand our motives. Simply telling them that we say what we say because of love will not keep the words from stinging. I have often been told it is not what we say but the way we say it that causes certain negative reactions. I disagree. Speaking hard-to-hear words in a loving way does not guarantee success. Beyond that, I believe it is our responsibility as speakers of the Truth to communicate in such a way so as not to be a detriment (stumbling block) to the people we encounter. Therefore, I believe that what we say and how we say it hold equal significance. Picture a fiercely barking dog that is wagging its tail. Which end do you trust and believe? Sometimes it is impossible to tell.

Further, it is imperative that we keep our own position in mind when we approach someone. It is not our job to convict! That job belongs solely to He Who calls to the sheep. When dealing with a one-on-one situation, telling someone the harsh reality about the result of their sin or where we think they may be going astray will not be effective in convicting someone. If you've tried it you know that I am speaking the Truth, hard as it may be to accept. If you have ever taught in the public school system, you know that gentleness works much better than being harsh when trying to reach a person.

Thirdly, I believe it both possible and the correct approach to be compassionate when presenting the Truth. Offering hugs and encouragement is proper. Making the person feel better is great as long as the Truth isn't compromised in the process. Christ was harsh with His enemies, but mostly patient and compassionate toward His followers. If a person feels hopeless and despondent when we have finished talking with them, what good have we done?

Finally, we must not take it personally when someone does not instantly accept what we have to say. Rejection is not a reason to go running off to others to "request prayer"; for that person or ourselves. Chalk up that rejection to what it really is: the planting of a seed. If we speak the Truth in genuine love with pure motives, a tiny plant is born. Our job is finished. The rest is up to Him.