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Love Or Truth?
Love Or Truth?
Our society wants us to pick. Which will it be; love or speak truth? By “love,” they implore us to accept, tolerate, and ultimately applaud their life. “Truth,” would be to confront, convict, or (in their minds) hate, despise, and repudiate their lifestyle. Which will it be?
Don’t let the Devil fool you! This is not an either/or, but a both/and. You can love someone enough to show them the truth. You can love the truth enough to share it. This is exactly what Jesus does with the rich young ruler. As he clearly attests to his careful observance of the law, “And he answered and said to Him, ‘Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.’” Please see Mark’s record, “Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘One thing you lack…’” (Mk. 10:20-21). Mark specifically records, Jesus loved him and then proceeds to tell him exactly what he lacked. The man still went away sorrowful. Did Jesus do something wrong!? Our culture would perhaps tell you He must have. In the mind of our culture, if you don’t rejoice with the reprobate you are in the wrong. Truth AND love are harmonious, cohesive entities, and belong together. They are salt AND pepper; bacon AND anything; snow cone AND summer. It is because of God’s love that He revealed truth.
To truly love is to confront wrong. Our hypocritical world partially gets this. When a friend is struggling with alcohol, his closest friends/family might stage an intervention to try and help him realize his problem. They sit down and surprise him with notes where they read to him the hurt he is causing. Aghast! They must not love him, right? Wrong! It is because they love him. When we don’t support our friends who come out of the closet, it is because we love them and love the truth of God. When we don’t support that coworker who is entering an unscriptural marriage, it is because we love them and we love God. When we don’t celebrate those friends moving in together, it is because we love them and we love God. We can love without condoning sinful behavior. We can love and lead to truth.
I am not advocating that we are hateful, cruel, or unkind in any way! Jesus certainly wasn’t unkind with the R.Y.R., even knowing what the outcome would be. Nor was He cruel to Judas at the table just hours before he would betray Him to the cross. Don’t mistake cruelty, or meanness for making a stand against sin. You can stand against sin and still be compassionate and kind. In fact brethren, you must.
