Truth+Love=Grow
Real. I think that’s what most of us crave. Why? Because we grow and thrive in real life. Just like light and water make a plant grow, truth and love make people grow. Ephesians 4:15 reminds us to speak truth in love so we can grow up, literally UP into him. The verse just prior to that talks about being tossed to and fro by human cunning and craftiness in deceitful schemes.
Fake. Have you ever been hustled? You thought one thing and then found out it was another? That moment when we say “Wait a minute, I’ve just been taken for a ride.” Being hustled never feels very good and it usually ends in asking yourself “How did I get here?” Once a lie or hate enters the equation we are no longer dealing with God’s plan for your life.
As I see it we have these options both in what we speak and in what we hear:
Truth + Hate = Injury
Lies + Love= Abuse
Lies + Hate = Death
Truth + Love = Life
Real. It’s not always easy but it is really our only choice if we want to grow. When the spoken word is true and it is done from a motivation of love everybody grows, both the speaker and the hearer. Maybe that’s why the Psalmist said “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight…”. Psalm 19 is mostly about the spoken word of God. It ends with a prayer that our mouth’s words (truth) and our heart’s meditations (love) would be acceptable to God. Why? Because God knows both what we speak and the motive behind it can either do damage or cause growth.
Truth in Love.
I absolutely love the insight here. God has revealed many things through you, throughout the years. God is often trying to get our attention so that He might be glorified. The term truth sets up the type of person you are in relationship to people and brings glory to The Written Word. ”They that worship Him must worship Him in Truth and in Spirit. So, the inner man is engaged with the Holy Spirit and the presence of His eternal Godhead. While a ’lie’ on the other hand glorifies itself. It operates in deception and brings forth every wicked worth. Lies are alive! They give birth to one lie after the next. Ugly twins, we have all seen before and been hurt by. In part, because Satan himself is a liar and the truth is not in him. He lied to the angels, and the angels did follow… And have their part in the lake of fire. It sounds harsh, right? But the truth is no one wants to be on the receiving end of a lie. ’ Hating the very soul afflicted by the lie’ I see how dangerous lies can be. It’s just as bad aa flattering lips and a Lying tongue. In relationships the one thing we all crave is honestly. The enemy has used the quote the truth hurts…. But the fact of the matter is, lies kill, steal and destroy. The truth motivates us to walk worthy of the call. The truth says, it’s okay to be genuine, honest and raw. If I can not handle the truth then it’s time for a checkup. What is pushing me to steer clear of the truth? I find it has to do with acknowledgment of repentance or free for all… A lying spirit is a hard spirit to shake. Our heart is deceitful above all things. As followers of Christ, like David, we should desire such an encounter it’s encouraging to know that Jesus perfects us, and He protects us.
I am so very grateful for you. You speak the truth in love. I knew after just a few short months I could trust you, trust doesn’t come easy with me. But the motive of your heart and your willingness to be a vulnerable woman of God, who seeks not to be lifted up with vain glory… You humbly walk in the recognition that true worship, the true fast is pouring out your heart to the afflicted. Walking in truth may seem hard but you make it look effortless, and I love that about you. I absolutely adore you.
If you do not know Kirsten, drop her a little note, a comment or follow her on Instagram. She is a beautiful example of walking in love while keeping it real… In other words ’walking in truth, a beautiful example of a true disciple.
Thank you for the rich insight and the grace filled and kind words.