The Purpose of Speaking Truth in Love
Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ.
The purpose of speaking the truth in love is to benefit the recipient of what is being said, with the intent to help him or her to grow up into Christ. Scripture plays a major role.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect (complete), throughly furnished unto all good works.
It is important to note that truth is God-centered. Factual statements do not necessarily constitute truth, especially if they are used against others! For example, using factual statements in order to use someone’s past against him. Another example, would be using Scripture out of context to manipulate others. Using factual statements to vent is not exactly love, either. Truth is all about intent. In short, without love, there is no truth.
When reading the entirety of Ephesians four, we find truth provides discernment and stability. It combats deceit, and false teaching. The more truth we have, the less we can be deceived. Truth causes growth; and without it, people remain immature.
Those With Critical Spirits
Clearly, those with a critical attitude will have a difficult time speaking the truth in love. They tend look for faults in others, and generally find them -whether they actually exist or not. The Pharisees found fault with Jesus; but in truth, the fault was with them. Self-righteous people tend to be fault-finders. In many instances, they will use Scripture against others.
Here’s an irony: knowing the Word is part of maturity; however, using the Word against others is a sign of immaturity. A person’s ability to site chapter and verse might seem impressive, but if he does not couple it with love and wisdom, he can actually become a stumbling block to others.
A critical spirit is a sign of bitterness, which often gets projected on others. It’s one reason one can meet a total stranger, and instantly resent him. In this case, he is holding someone in unforgiveness, and the stranger reminds him of the one who hurt him. The appearance, speech, attitude or mannerisms (or the combination of any) of the individual triggers the resentment. This may be something of which to pay attention. If we find ourselves instantly detesting a perfect stranger, we may have something with which to deal.
What faults do people tend to find in others? The ones they themselves have. Other people can serve as a proverbial mirror. We see it all the time, people pointing fingers at others, while doing the same things, or having identical traits, themselves. We should probably take advantage of those mirrors. The Lord might be trying to show something. Hmmm. Of course, a person could just go using other people’s faults to cover their own. Here a couple scriptures with which to close.
Ephesians 4:31-21 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Matthew 7:1-5 Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
