“Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” Proverbs 27:6 nkjv
Freedom Through Truth
It has taken me years to reconcile truth and love.
Beautiful words aren’t always truthful, and truthful words aren’t always beautiful.
Have you ever noticed that when someone starts to tell you something challenging, it usually begins with the soft side and is followed by the “but….”
I’ve learned the real truth comes after the “but.” As in: “I like being with you, but you make me angry when you (fill in the blank).”
Why do we often need help with the truth, regardless of what it may be?
I don’t mean in terms of our being positive or negative—those terms are only relative to the truth.
Truth is neutral, neither positive nor negative. It’s just truth.
Truth can be harmful or hurtful depending on its intention and reception.
Causing harm isn’t good, but the hurt can be a blessing when its purpose is to break down something harming someone.
Then, that which is broken down can be built back up into something useful.
For so much of my life, I’ve had the conflict of needing to be liked and wanted, so I avoided any clashes with people and the potential rejection that might follow.
It became tough for me to be truthful, even when I vaguely realized how the truth would be in everyone’s best interest, including mine.
This revealed a deep problem I had with intimacy—for by not risking rejection; I never let anyone see the real me.
With me as only an impostor, relationships could never “stick” since the person these people were dealing with was someone else, not the true me.
To compound the problem, I developed a very sharp and quick tongue that made sure I wasn’t approachable in matters involving truth.
And in occasions when that kind of language on my part wouldn’t be socially acceptable, I would use humor to deflect the matter from reaching my soul.
So, in dealing with others, I found myself using truth only when I could follow with a cocoon of flattery.
Freedom, however, is found only in truth- truth about who God is, truth about who I am, and truth about the love God has for me.
Jesus told His disciples that by abiding in His word, “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).
He was telling them the truth about Himself and the love God the Father displayed through Him.
In that same chapter of John, Jesus calls Satan the “father of lies” (8:44). Ultimate truth is found in God the Father; anything else is a lie, regardless of how nice, right, or fair it may sound.
It wasn’t until I deeply realized God’s love for me that I could bear to live in truth.
The light of the truth was so bright it left me nowhere to hide. I couldn’t hide from the fact of His love or from the fact that in my flesh, nothing good dwells.
Indeed, the only good in me is Jesus Christ dwelling there and overpowering my sinful nature so that I might live now in the freedom that results from His presence.
I’m slowly learning about the helpfulness of the truth.
Sharing the truth can be helpful if it can ultimately lead to freedom for the other person.
Thankfully I now have friends in my life who will tell me the truth because they love me and want to see me grow more into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
The next time you look for the truth, listen closely to what people say after the “but.”
And for yourself, consider eliminating the “but” from your conversations—simply speak the truth in love, for only love is the truth.
What mechanisms do you use to avoid or minimize receiving His truth?
Which is more challenging for you: speaking or receiving the truth?
Which relationships could be better if you lived in the freedom of truth?
Lord, You are the Truth. In You, there is no deception. May we become people who speak Your truth in love. Amen