Speaking the Truth

“Instead, speaking the
truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him
who is the head, that is, Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15)

It is difficult to speak plainly in today’s
sensitive culture.  The efforts to create
a civil and accepting society keep us tied to a very general language about our
relationship with Jesus.  As we strive to be relevant and engage those
who have long rejected the traditions of the church, we speak a language that
can easily fog up the glass that the lost must look through to see the love of
Jesus.

The voice of Jesus was so clear.  He simply stated the eternal reality of those
who would follow Him, question Him, judge Him, and beg Him for help.  The voice of Jesus brought clarity to those
who were open to the message.  But here
is the tough part.  His voice confused
those who were hard-hearted and unwilling to trust Him.

So even though His words were clear and
precise, much of the impact had to do with the listener.  If their hearts were not ready, then Jesus’
words seemed like lunacy.  This presents
an interesting challenge for us as we reach out to others.

Our job is not to make the message relevant as
much as it is to speak truth.  The Holy
Spirit works in the hearts of those who are ready to accept His words and waits
patiently for those who are still struggling.