I pray that when you look in the mirror today, you see the love of Christ looking back at you.
Today I want to talk to you about "When the Truth Hurts". There is a line from a movie that says, "Truth? You can't handle the truth." We've also been taught that the truth hurts. I'm here to tell you that when the truth hurts, it's being handled wrong. Truth is not kind, nor harsh; good nor bad. It just is. Truth is truth. What that truth accomplishes depends upon how it is being dispensed.
I saw a marquis on a church a while back that said, "God saw what you did". How I longed to go write underneath it "and He loves you anyway". The marquis stated a truth. God does see everything we do. But the message came off accusatory and judgmental. The fact that the marquis was on a church building would lead some to believe that churches are accusatory and judgmental. One might even take it a step further and believe that God is accusatory and judgmental. Did that "truth" do more harm or good?
In Ephesians 4:15 Paul encourages us to speak the truth in love. What message would've been sent if my postscript were added to the marquis? "God saw what you did and He loves you anyway". Instead of accusation, the reader might feel love. Instead of judgment, he might feel grace and forgiveness. Because the marquis was on a church building, he might believe that churches love and forgive. Taking it one step further, he might believe that God loves and forgives. Same truth - different message; all because of the method in which the truth was delivered.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, our Bible tells us. The truth is not meant to hurt. You can handle the truth when it is spoken in love. When the truth hurts, beloved ones, look for the postscript and remember when you are the dispenser of truth to speak it in love.
You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Love, Raelynn
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