The truth will set you free, but it can also get you in a lot of trouble. Not everyone is overjoyed to hear the word of the Lord, especially when it has threatening implications for the hearer. Consider the prophet Jeremiah:
"Then the officials said to the king, 'Now let this man be put to death, inasmuch as he is discouraging the men of war who are left in this city and all the people, by speaking such words to them; for this man is not seeking the well-being of this people but rather their harm' ,,, Then they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchijah the king's son, which was in the court of the guardhouse; and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. Now in the cistern there was no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud." (Jeremiah 38:4,6 NASB)
We read later in the chapter that God provided for Jeremiah's escape and safety (Jeremiah 38:10-13), and even kept him safe when Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians (Jeremiah 39:11-14). But ultimately, according to historic tradition, Jeremiah died a martyr's death.
So what are we to make of these things? Better to keep quiet and stay safe, or to risk it all to speak His truth? I'm sure you know the answer as well as I do.
"preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths" (2 Timothy 4:2-4 NASB)
Whether people can handle the truth or not, faithfully declaring and demonstrating it is a constant priority for us. The truth is not a matter of opinion polls, but faithfulness to the One whose word must clearly sound forth from the people whose lives have been radically impacted by it.
But, there is an important qualifier to what we do with truth - "speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15). I've met a number of people along the way who were much better at loving to the speak the truth than "speaking the truth in love". Compassion, stirred up by the God of compassion, must be the driving force of truth. Even in the instances when we must "shake the dust off our feet" (Matthew 10:14) as a witness against those who are callously unresponsive to the truth we bear, this is a final act of compassion designed to stir up responsiveness and repentance.
As messengers of truth, we serve a Savior who "saw a large crowd, and felt compassion" (Matthew 14:14). Do we view the masses of unbelievers in the world with genuine compassion, or ambivalence and apathy? Does love for the truth and love for the lost move us out of our comfort zone, or does apathy cause us to hide safely in the shadows?
"Father, teach us to know what it really means to be lost, with no hope of resurrection or of life in the age to come. Move us with compassion from our comfort zone and into the realm of risk where love and truth have full opportunity for expression and response. Whether convenient or not, move us this day as messengers of truth and love. Amen."
Blessings be upon you as you administer His truth and love today.
Steve
© 2010, Steve Taylor
"Then the officials said to the king, 'Now let this man be put to death, inasmuch as he is discouraging the men of war who are left in this city and all the people, by speaking such words to them; for this man is not seeking the well-being of this people but rather their harm' ,,, Then they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchijah the king's son, which was in the court of the guardhouse; and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. Now in the cistern there was no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud." (Jeremiah 38:4,6 NASB)
We read later in the chapter that God provided for Jeremiah's escape and safety (Jeremiah 38:10-13), and even kept him safe when Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians (Jeremiah 39:11-14). But ultimately, according to historic tradition, Jeremiah died a martyr's death.
So what are we to make of these things? Better to keep quiet and stay safe, or to risk it all to speak His truth? I'm sure you know the answer as well as I do.
"preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths" (2 Timothy 4:2-4 NASB)
Whether people can handle the truth or not, faithfully declaring and demonstrating it is a constant priority for us. The truth is not a matter of opinion polls, but faithfulness to the One whose word must clearly sound forth from the people whose lives have been radically impacted by it.
But, there is an important qualifier to what we do with truth - "speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15). I've met a number of people along the way who were much better at loving to the speak the truth than "speaking the truth in love". Compassion, stirred up by the God of compassion, must be the driving force of truth. Even in the instances when we must "shake the dust off our feet" (Matthew 10:14) as a witness against those who are callously unresponsive to the truth we bear, this is a final act of compassion designed to stir up responsiveness and repentance.
As messengers of truth, we serve a Savior who "saw a large crowd, and felt compassion" (Matthew 14:14). Do we view the masses of unbelievers in the world with genuine compassion, or ambivalence and apathy? Does love for the truth and love for the lost move us out of our comfort zone, or does apathy cause us to hide safely in the shadows?
"Father, teach us to know what it really means to be lost, with no hope of resurrection or of life in the age to come. Move us with compassion from our comfort zone and into the realm of risk where love and truth have full opportunity for expression and response. Whether convenient or not, move us this day as messengers of truth and love. Amen."
Blessings be upon you as you administer His truth and love today.
Steve
© 2010, Steve Taylor
posted by steve @ 8:46 AM
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