Speaking Truth

There’s a lot of talk in my circles about “speaking truth.” This is tightly connected with the need to “call people to repentance.” Along with that we also have the call to “receive forgiveness and grace.”

These are all really good things. I really appreciate that these concepts and ideas are coming to the front of our conversations. Repentance and belief are core components to what it means to follow Jesus. Both require us to set aside ourselves and move towards someone outside ourselves.

So how do we do it?

First, a word. Most of the people yelling for truth and repentance are people who lack grace. Many of the people screaming about grace lack truth and repentance. This creates an “Us Vs Them” mentality as these topics begin to be discussed. The truth people jump to a defense of truth and the grace people jump to a defense of grace. Both claim “love.” The reality is that we need to have all three. We need truth, grace, and love being spoken, taught, and embodied. When we drop or minimize one of the three then we get out of whack with reality.

We need to understand that truth and grace only make sense or work together in tandem, couched in a context of love. If we only speak truth then we become legalists and if we only speak grace then we become “anti-nomian (against the law).” Either way, we are missing the mark of what it is that we are called to do as ambassadors for Jesus.

Love comes before all. This means that we have to make sure that our desire is truly for the other person. What I mean by this is that our communication of truth and grace must not come from a selfish desire to be “right” or to be “liked.” When we step out to speak truth and grace, we do so for the other, this is love.

Again, how do we do it?

First, we ask questions. We must enter in as learners. When we enter into conversation without first asking questions we assume that we know and understand the other. This is hardly ever the case. We must understand where the other is coming from in such a way that they will recognize their own position. When we enter as a learner it makes it very hard for us to cast aspersions and make snap judgments.

Second, we pray. A friend once said, “Talk to God before you talk to people.” That’s as true a thing as I’ve heard. When we pray we are laying the situation before the Father and then listening to hear the Spirit. When we do this it again pushes our self-centeredness aside.

Third, we check what we have heard against the Scriptures. We take this step to make sure that we are hearing from the Father and not ourselves.

Fourth, we ask. We need to ask permission to speak into someone’s life. This is a piece of the truth and grace puzzle that we often miss. When we do, we are setting ourselves up for frustration and possibly a severed relationship.

Finally, we talk. Hopefully, face to face and with gentleness and respect boldly. The message has to have both parts, grace and truth. It is, “I don’t condemn you, go and sin no more.” The both/and is critical. When I discipline my children we start with hugs and end with hugs. In the middle there may be tears, but they know that there is grace and mercy. That grace and mercy can truly only be understood when I’ve also boldly and clearly spoken truth. When this happens repentance and belief are often the result and it’s beautiful.

We can do a better job at this. We need to do a better job at this. We must do a better job at this.

Speaking grace and truth in love. These three things held in tension together each informing the other.

The post Speaking Truth appeared first on The Journal by Daniel M. Rose. It was written by Daniel M. Rose.

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