Speak Truth in Love

I squirmed in my seat to avoid meeting my friend’s eyes. We were seated at a bistro table at a sidewalk coffee shop, and he was asking some hard questions, trying to get me to open up.

I didn’t want to.

But I needed to. I needed to speak the painful truth about what was going on in my heart, and I needed to hear the truth he responded with.

I’m an overthinker. I tend to dwell on my issues, rehashing them until I’ve twisted the truth into something it never was. I also dislike confrontation. If something I have to say will be painful for someone to hear — even if I know telling them will bless them in the long run — I try to avoid it.

My conversation with my friend was the most uncomfortable thing I’ve done in a long time. But it was so worth it because of the hope, healing, and trust that grew in me through it.

Truth can hurt. But truth spoken in genuine love can heal and strengthen. As the body of Christ, we must speak the truth in love to each other — with kindness, gentleness, respect, and prayer. In order to have healthy relationships and advance God’s kingdom as best we can, we need to do the hard thing. The right thing.

When we do so, we’ll be able to showcase God’s love to the world. We will have freedom and confidence that the body of Christ has our backs.

Lord, thank you that we don’t live life alone. Please give me the courage to have hard conversations with my brothers and sisters in Christ, and help us to live in unity and peace for your glory. Amen.

Go Deeper — Do you need to have an honest, but hard conversation with another person? Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your tongue, thoughts, and action, then give it a try. Let God work the rest to his good.