A truthful rescue

Ask any husband about the uncertainty that he instantly feels when his wife asks, “How does this outfit look on me?”  Hopefully, he thinks she looks great!  But, if she does not, should he tell her what he thinks?  Is it a loving thing to dodge the truth? Telling another the truth is one of the hardest things to do. “Speaking the truth, in love,” requires wisdom.

Christians are to be people committed to the Truth.  God commissions us to live ‘in truth.’ That means that we will, inevitably, come up against practices and values that are wrong. What then? Will we first conform ourselves to the truth and then courageously tell the truth to others?  It will not be easy and generally those who speak truthfully will not be thanked.  In our American culture at this time, tolerance is highly valued.  We learn early to avoid certain topics, to couch our convictions in non-offensive language. Failing to do so will have serious social consequence!

Christ’s disciples will always desire to be loving, to affirm others. They will also be compelled to speak truthfully to their world about ultimate accountability to a holy God. (This CWTW is not a defense of those who are rude or insensitive.)  When a Christian accepts the authority of the Scripture, carefully studies and understands what is revealed about God’s ways in it, he will find himself in conflict with his family, friends, and society.  Is it loving to remain silent?  Should he risk being dismissed, even by other Christians, as ‘dated,’ ‘out of touch,’ ‘insensitive,’ or ‘just another culture warrior?’ James, no stranger to conflict and ultimately martyred for his love for Jesus, tells us that telling the truth is a life and death issue! "My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins." (James 5:19-20, NLT)

Jesus humorously reminds us that to have any credibility we have to deal with our own sins first. "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." (Matthew 7:2-5, NIV)  Note that He does not tell us to ignore the other person’s sin!  But, it is true that it is hard to take a lecture from a hypocrite!

Christian, we live in a society mired in greed, sensuality, lust, and injustice. Will we be people of truth?  Will we illustrate what it means to live with meaning, to set aside Self in order to serve the living God? Will we have the courage to lovingly speak the truth, being careful to separate personal conviction from the expressed will of God?  Our message is Good News!  We can offer life in Christ to others. Will we?

Here’s a word from the Word. Ponder it.

"Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering toward slaughter.

If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?" (Proverbs 24:10-12, NIV)