But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head — Christ.
Ephesians 4:15 (CSB)
Every month of 2020, we feature the Love Over All theme verse on the first Sunday of the month. We love everything about Love Over All (read more about it here) and can’t wait to share these amazing verses and ways to live them out with you!
July’s theme is Love Speaks.
We often equate “speaking the truth in love” with polite gentleness. But truth, even spoken in love, can still hurt. When our eyes are opened to see our weaknesses and blind spots, it pains us to recognize where we’ve been wrong.
Truth convicts us of what we’ve tried to ignore or deny, and having someone point that out to us is love.
Love speaks when people aren’t being treated equally and with dignity. Love speaks when those in power abuse their authority and hurt others. Love speaks when ignorant and racist things are said. Love speaks because unity and diversity in the body of Christ is the dream and getting there is hard work.
Sometimes speaking in love requires courage. What does it mean to love someone deep enough to speak the truth? To love them more than I love their friendship? To love them over all?
This is the kind of love that puts others before themselves. This is the love that speaks truth, kindness, and hope.
Love doesn’t stay silent but speaks up — shouts loud even — so truth can be heard and learned. And when love speaks, may we have ears to hear.
[bctt tweet=”Truth convicts us of what we’ve tried to ignore or deny, and having someone point that out to us is love. #loveoverall ” username=”incourage”]
Leave a Comment
Beth Williams says
In Courage,
There is a sign on a church down the road “sugar preaching leads to truth decay”. How very true. Truly loving someone takes hard work & courage. Courage to speak the truth even if it hurts. We need to speak love over everyone. Our country needs healing & love is the only thing that will work.
Blessings 🙂
Dawn Ferguson-Little says
Love is best thing Jesus did for us. By showing his love to us while we were sinners going to Calvary. Jesus showed his love when on this earth as well by loving people no one else wanted to know. Caring for those people and teaching us how to love them back. Being kind caring and loving to everyone no matter what color of skin they have. We the saved are to do the same. Let the love of Jesus show from our hearts to people no else would want to know. Go that extra mile if we can for someone who needs help. Pray and be the Church to the hurt World if we can. See people beyond their skin color like Jesus did. Let the Love of Jesus shine from our heart. Like the song that come to mind. “Shine Jesus Shine”
Here are some of the words to it.
Lord, the light of your love is shinning In the mist of the darkness, shinning Jesus, light of the world, shine upon us Set us free by the truth you now bring us Shine on me, shine on me
Shine, Jesus, shine
Fill this land with the Father’s glory
Blaze, Spirit, blaze
Set out hearts on fire
Flow, river, flow,
Flood the nations with grace and mercy Send forth your word
Lord, and let there be light
Lord,I come to your awesome presence From the Shadows into your radiance By the blood I may enter your brightness
Search me, try me, consume me all my darkness
Shine on me shine on me.
You get it on YouTube the rest of the words. It is by Graham Kendrick. It a beautiful song. Worth listening too and the words reading.
So true of God Love and letting his sons Jesus love shine all over the world. Plus us who are saved. Love you all incourage love Dawn Ferguson-Little xx
Theresa Boedeker says
Truth spoken in love can hurt. How do you discipline a child with love by not hurting them a bit? How do you tell your mate that what they are doing is bothering you without hurting them a bit. How do you help a back sliding friend without hurting them a bit? Truth can hurt, but it can also be a gift. And delay disaster or more future hurt. It can help someone change course. Draw you closer. Truth can hurt, but it can still be done with compassion, forgiveness, and grace.