Monday, 12 March 2018

Speaking truth in love

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Speaking the truth in love - When did you last hear this done? I suspect that we may hear plenty of "speaking the truth", or what people consider to be the truth, where "love" is conspicuous by its absence.

Coming after well-known verses where Rav Sha'ul discusses the five-fold ministry gifts, which are deployed by the Spirit in some measure in every local expression of the Body of Messiah so that we may all grow into the fullness of Him, we are urged not to be children, but to grow up in every way into our head, Yeshua. Yeshua spoke about the children who taunt each other in the market place: "We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn" (Matthew 11:17), but we are not to behave like that.

Not only must we be certain that the truth we speak really is the truth as Yeshua would see it, but we must also speak it as Yeshua would speak it, in a way that builds up and encourages even - if necessary - as it challenges. You'll remember Yeshua speaking to an earnest young man: "Looking at him, Yeshua felt a love for him, and said to him, 'One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess, and give to the poor ...'" (Mark 10:21). It was what the young chap needed to hear and Yeshua spoke it in love. We must do likewise.