Love and Truth – Never One at the Expense of the Other
I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever!
Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.
Your unfailing love will last forever.
Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.
Your kingdom is built on what is right and fair.
Love and truth are in all You do.
Happy are the people who know how to praise you.
Lord, let them live in the light of Your presence.
Psalm 89:1–2, 14–15
Love and Truth
God is both.
Never one without the other.
Not sometimes.
Both.
Love and Truth.
Always.
He is…
All love.
All truth.
Perfect.
Complete.
Unfailing.
Forever.
Love and Truth.
Present.
With you.
Forever.
In Christ.
In Spirit.
God is Love.
God is Truth.
Perfect Blessing.
Perfect Peace.
We think love is a feeling. It’s not.
We think truth is relative. It’s not.
Truth and Love
Truth has always been important to me. I needed to be trusted. I needed to be able to trust.
Love. Yes that too. I needed love. I needed to love.
As far back as I can remember . . . love and truth topped my list of needs.
Maybe that’s one reason why my faith in God has always been important.
Since I first learned the song, “Jesus loves me,” and I heard the 23rd Psalm . . . I believed He loved me and I could trust Him. His love isn’t a feeling. And His truth isn’t relative.
[Tweet “I need that. Love that is true and truth that is love.”]
When I read Max Lucado’s quote during my morning Bible Study, I knew I wanted to share it here with you.
“Love in truth. Truth in love. Never one at the expense of the other. Never the embrace of love without the torch of truth. Never the heat of truth without the warmth of love . . . to pursue both is our singular task.” ~Max Lucado
Why is it our singular task? Because it is our greatest gift.
God is love. Jesus is truth. And the Spirit faithfully comforts us with both.
Quotes – God’s Love and Truth
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Whoever puts his trust in God’s Son will not be lost but will have life that lasts forever. John 3:16
“Love is not a mere sentiment. Love is the ultimate truth at the heart of creation.” ~Author Unknown
Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love. 2 John 1:3
“It is only with true love and compassion that we can begin to mend what is broken in the world. It is these two blessed things that can begin to heal all broken hearts.” ~Steve Maraboli
But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in mercy and loving-kindness and truth. Psalm 86:15
What Do You Think?
On hard days remember – your Father is truth and love.
Never one without the other.
It is His gift.
Love spoken with truth.
Truth shared with love.
It is our goal.
All truth and no love makes a legalist. All love and no truth makes a sentimentalist. You need both.
Unfortunately our world has plenty of both. So thankful Jesus taught us a better way!
Teaching truth in love can be a challenging balance. It first requires relationship. The adage “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Even when a relationship is present, one cannot account for the heart of the other person. Sometimes a hard is too hard to hear the truth, no matter how it is presented. Thank you for sharing, joining you from Amy’s Looking Up Link up.
You’re right Angie. Truth can still be hard, but cloaked with love, care, and compassion hopefully at least allows it to be heard and considered. Blessings!
Deb,
I found this post so very insightful; encouraging me in how I interact with others to love in Truth and to share the Truth in love.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much Karen!
Yes! Never one without the other. Love and truth are of God and you’re right, Deb, that this should ever be our central focus.
Blessings!
I’m working to always remember. When I’m angry it’s easy to forge the love part and when I care deeply about someone it is hard to be completely truthful. Always a work in progress. In His grace!
I love this! Thanks for sharing. I like to study Max Lacado as well!
Thank you Paige!
Never thought of it this way before! Thanks for sharing!
I see Truth and Love linked together like a chain. Inseparable and part of our faith recipe. So great to consider this, Deb. Thanks, lady.