TRUTH

"My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins" (James 5:19-20).

 

We are to be in the "truth-telling" business with our goal being to turn our friends and family back to the truth from which they have strayed.  It's a bit tricky since, in my experience, no one really likes hearing the truth.  I know that I don't.  At least I don't like having my faults pointed out.  You likely don't like it either.  With that in mind, it is essential to keep the purpose of truth-telling squarely in front of us.

 

T-urn: A complete change of direction.

R-estore: A renewal of purpose and position.

U-nlease: A return to true freedom.

T-ouch: A relational closeness.

H-eal: A renewed strength.

 

Today, may we use "truth-telling" not just as a neccessary means of rebuking wrong--but also as a merciful gift of restoring right!

TRUTH

" . . . But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ" (Ephesians 4:15).

 

It's difficult to speak, "the truth in love".  We tend to either speak the truth without love or else we speak love without sharing the truth.  God's plan is that we saturate our truth-telling in an ocean of love.  In the old days, when I was young, my mom would put sugar in my medicine in order to make it easier to take.  It helped!  My counselor taught me that to "speak the truth in love" means to own the impact of what I say.  It is to empathize with the one I'm speaking to--to feel what they are feeling.  We are to speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth--but we are to do so lovingly.  Remember that it is God's kindness that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4).

 

Today, let's check our motives before we speak.  Is it love?  Or is it something else?  And while we're at it, maybe we can practice hearing the truth in love as well.

TRUTH

"But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment" (James 5:12).

 

Philo said, "The more emphasis one puts on swearing, the more the swearer shows that there is some suspicion of his not being trustworthy". If we have to accentuate our words in order to emphasize that we are telling the truth--then it may indicate that we have a problem telling the truth.

 

Today, practice telling the truth:

• Do what you say when you say you will do it!
• Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth!
• Resist the urge to embellish or exaggerate!
• Be careful not to minimize or leave out important information!
• Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)!