Only Love Can Deliver Truth

I'm not sure why, but God has been convicting me on two themes: BE MORE BOLD and LOVE BETTER.

There is magic, or more biblically speaking (though don't you love how C.S. Lewis calls it the "deeper magic"!?  I desperately want to call it that too but I would really get kicked out of church), power, in this godly combination.  The problem is, we believers are not very good at it.  I know I struggle with it a great deal.  I am coming to realize that when we don't speak up, we are not loving, and when we do, we are proud.  The result is a bunch of people majorly turned off by God, Jesus and the whole story they are tired of hearing.

Of course, one has to recognize that part of that is rejection of truth and the fact that they are in spiritual darkness as it says in 1 Corinthians 10:14.  That does not mean that we are greater than they are though, or that we are higher evolved.  One does not gloat in his sight around a blind man and boast at what he can see and the blind man cannot.  He lovingly leads him to who can heal him, as he tells of what his sight has shown him out of love for that blind man to see it too.  Sometimes I don't think we see our own cruelty in gloating.

I propose that if we speak truth that is rejected, it better be for spiritual reasons ALONE and not for how we treat that person!  In fact, God's word says a great deal about our behavior winning what logic cannot in the hearts of people!  That should tell us something.

Our struggle is to start with a loving desire without fading off into pride and arrogance.  We become more concerned with being right than saving a soul from eternal peril.  We say we love the lost but we don't make them feel welcome when we are around them.  We are not interested in being their friends, getting to hear their stories, loving them.  Even within the church Christians struggle with shunning each other according to lifestyle choices each family has.  I guarantee you this happens.  Families avoid certain families because their kids don't act the way they want their kids to act, or their personalities rub the wrong way, or they let their kids watch Harry Potter (heavens!!!).  If it happens within the church, HOW IN THE WORLD will we reach out to those outside the church!?

I had a really good friend, in fact this person was my best friend for a time.  All of a sudden though this friend  stopped inviting us over and stopped calling.  I was very hurt.  I thought I'd done something but would come across as dramatic if I asked what was going on.  I sucked it up and sat in a state of mystery for many, many years.  Due to circumstances in our lives, I decided to finally ask this person if I had done something wrong at some point to deserve this rejection.  It was a scary thing to ask.  I have to say though, I thought perhaps I was making it all up in my mind.  I do tend to over analyze things as some may know. :)  However, when I got an answer it turned out that I was NOT making this up.  This person had truly avoided me and what I thought was our great friendship because their children had a hard time with my kids.  My kids are not tender footed conversationalists, they don't pad everything they say, AND they were VERY YOUNG children.  If I had known about this, I could have dealt with it.  More than that though, the rejection told me I was not a valued friend.  If I had been a valued friend, then dealing with this would have been worth it to this person to keep me as their friend.  It was easier to shun me, and my children.  My kids asked for years why their old friends did not talk to them anymore.  Oddly, though my children were accused of not being sensitive to the little feelings of these friends, I think they were more deeply hurt in the end by this act of rejection.  I know I was.  Thankfully, through asking and having this known to me, this person asked my forgiveness.  I asked for forgiveness as well in general because I could not possibly ask for forgiveness or have my kids do so for things that no one remembered anymore.  It will never be the same though and it will always be a hurt.
I just don't get things like this.
I don't think it should happen within the church and I think those that have that problem even in that arena, are REALLY not ready to witness to the world.  Heaven forbid if an unbeliever say something that hurts your feelings!  So, I speak of this because I think it's a glaring problem!  If you cannot handle dealing with tough conversations over who's kids said what to each other, how are you going to deal with it when you have to answer what God says about sin in our lives?

So, I say this to say...again...to get back on track...I'm convicted.  I tend to want to really let people know I love them, and that diversity in individuals is important.  It bothers me that as we stand up for our beliefs and take our stand against the "no absolutes" mentality of our culture, we become absolutely unlovable.  Still, I need to say that I do believe in some absolutes that are absolutely serious and have serious consequences.     How do I fully love and fully speak what I'm convicted to be true!?  I will tell you!

IT'S A TIGHT ROPE that requires I fall at the feet of Jesus for help.  It requires that I focus on Him, and that I BALANCE obedience in both areas.  I obey in love, I obey in speaking truth.

So, today I'm talking about the love thing...tomorrow I want to talk more about the boldness thing.  So, come back if you want...or don't.  I still love you! LOL...(no, I really will, I'm not joking....but that was kind of funny)