Why It’s Important to Know & Speak the Truth that Helps Eternally
I often struggle with the amped-up ugly interactions that are so prevalent in our current society.
I’ve prayerfully asked God to help me look past my own agitation and choose my words here carefully.
And I’d like to ask you a question…
What’s most important?
Popularity? Recognition? Your opinion? Your friend’s opinions? Or the truth?
It’s hard to know the truth when…
We watch the news and hear opinions presented as facts.
We scroll through Facebook and see viewpoints presented as undeniable accuracy.
We scroll through Twitter, TikTok, or any other social media platform and find snippets of thought shared as the whole unquestionable story.
The other day as I was reading Scripture, this verse practically jumped off the page:
You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it would give grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29 (NCV)
And what builds people up? Well, Paul wrote earlier in this chapter…
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body
Ephesians 4:14–15
Every day you and I choose what we’re going to believe and say . . . what’s important to us.
The Life Application Bible Notes say the following about “speaking the truth in love.”
Some of us are fairly good at speaking the truth but we forget to be loving. Some of us are good at being loving but we don’t have it in us to speak the truth when it is painful.
I wonder if there is an important aspect of Paul’s words that we tend to forget.
We have to KNOW the TRUTH to speak the truth.
We need to KNOW Jesus, the Way, the TRUTH, and the Life.
How?
We look away from the natural realm and we focus our attention and expectation onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection. His example is this: Because His heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be His, He endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God!
Hebrews 12:2
That is the TRUTH we speak! The rest—the opinions we argue about—is all temporary.
Will you join me today and prayerfully make a commitment to…
- Focus on Jesus.
- KNOW His TRUTH.
- Speak His Truth in love.
- And PRAY that all God’s Children will build up the Kingdom by speaking only what is beneficial.
A Prayer to Know & Speak the Truth
that Helps Eternally
Father, my heart hurts when I scroll through social media and see the way people shout their opinions whether they are the truth or not. It makes me sad to listen to speculation hyped as fact leaving people confused, frustrated, and at odds with one another.
We need to know and focus on the things that are important. We need You. We need to focus on the truth that never changes and lasts forever. We need Your TRUTH. We need Your LOVE.
Please fill me with the love of Christ Jesus. With Your Spirit’s help, I commit to faithfully spending time in Your Word and prayer. I want to “be still and know” You, Lord. I want to KNOW Your TRUTH. And I want to speak Your Truth in love. I want everyone I meet to see You in me. I want to speak the truth that is able to unite hearts and minds . . . the truth that helps eternally. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
A quote from my morning devotions has been filling my heart and mind lately…
“We love others best when we love God most.” ~ Kyle Idleman, Not a Fan
I want to love Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength so that I might love my neighbor as I love myself.
And I need God’s help to love the way He commands. I need His help to speak the truth that helps and builds up. I need His help to choose my words carefully so that I might reflect His love.
Praise God! He invites us to come to Him when we need His grace, mercy, and help…
So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Hebrews 4:16
May God be with you and bless you as you SEEK to KNOW GOD’S TRUTH.
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May we all seek God’s truth and speak it to others in love, Deb. So many conflicting ideas out there until we take them to the Lord in prayer. So glad to NOT be on social media.
Blessings!
Amen, Martha! Talk to the Lord more and each other a little less. Blessings and hugs!
Let’s talk about God’s timing. Just last night I had nearly the same thoughts. It’s heart breaking to see on social media how people find it perfectly acceptable to insult eachother with the most vile adjutives and names if they don’t agree with their opinion. It’s even more important these times to KNOW and RELY ONLY ON GOD’S TRUTH! That passage always a steady reminder in my heart that – Satan roams the earth as a roaring lion how to swallow everyone, even the believers…. A discerning spirit is more important than ever!!!
And yes, all these fake “facts” led me to the commitment to ask the Lord’s guidance even in politics and worldly matters. He will show what we need to know and when we need to know, without the clutter of the forceful opinions. His Spirit can and will show the Truth.
I let myself sucked into these contradicting opinions and trying to defend the Truth. It only accomplished that I wasted valuable time that otherwise I would have spent with the LORD, on debating with deaf and blind people, and being called of every vile name.
These times are just as dividing as it was in Jesus’ time with the Roman rulers. But I have to remind myself that God knows what and why He allows to happen in history and in our life. And, yes, my responsibility is to stay committed and true to His Truth.
My other big revelation was that Jesus didn’t get involved in politics, and in the ways of the world. He knew it, was aware of it but wasn’t an active participant in it. And that’s my prayer – let us be aware, know but NOT involved or vested in the world’s affairs.
We are only Pilgrims, passing through….
Thanks, Gaby. I continue to prayerfully ask the Lord to guide my words showing how and where He wants me to speak out and/or get involved. I think there are times we have to stand up to evil but always in God’s timing and honoring His ways. Oh, it’s not easy to live in this messy sin-filled world. God bless you, my friend!
You’re perfectly right Deb…there are times we have to speak up ????????????. The Lord bless you my friend
The Lord be with you and bless you as well! Hope you’re having a wonderful day!
Thank you, Deb for this life application message. Very insightful.
This sentence blessed me as I read the article:
“Some of us are fairly good at speaking the truth but we forget to be loving. Some of us are good at being loving but we don’t have it in us to speak the truth when it is painful.”
Thank you so very much for your kind word of encouragement. Asking the Lord to bless and encourage you today!
Beautifully put. The pressures of social media turns our hearts inward to ourselves rather than outward in love to others. It’s a competition, a platform and can be dangerous and detrimental to our hearts and minds if we are not focused on Jesus.
You’re right, Shelley. Rev used to ask his Bible Class who they think about more than anyone. The truth is we all think about ourselves most. Were it not for the Spirit’s help, we would never be able to shine the light of the Lord’s love. Thanks so much for visiting. God bless you!
Thank You FOR Wonderful Inspiration Deb????????????♥️❗️Definitely WERE to KEEP our eyes ???? on JESUS ????♥️☝???? Satan is Doing EVERYTHING and ANYTHING he CAN ????to TRY to Take as Many People DOWN before The L -RD COMES BACK ????????????????♥️❗️That’s Why Hes Corrupting Them WITH Internet Unmentionables BUT So MANY people CANT handle being Told the Truth in LOVE ♥️ That There’s a Problem ????. They DONT SEE it AS a Problem. They See it As YOU’RE picking on themOR being Judgemental. ????WHEN it IS To Help them Out OF LOVE ❤️ . Bc JESUS ????????☝????WOULD ALSO , And I’m supposed To LOVE ❤️ and HELP my Neighbor ????????????♥️
Thank you for your encouragement, Cheri! May we be blessed with the Spirit’s help to speak the Truth with love. I know I can’t on my own but with His help, I will do better. God bless you!
Such a refreshing Post! It’s so true that we love others best when we love God most … I know I sure do. The last part of Ephesians 4:29, “that it may impart grace to the hearers,” has me thinking in a new way. I do a lot of construction cleaning and us girls talk while we clean and at lunch time too. God showed me that not only are our words important for the other girls who are cleaning, but also for the guys who may be hearing us talk. Our words need to impart grace on them as well. Or anyone else who may be listening that we might not even be aware of. Thank you for this post! ????
Thank you, Susan! I love this! You may never know the impact you are having on those who hear your conversations but I believe the Holy Spirit uses moments like those to touch lives for eternity. God bless you as you serve Him and share His love.
BLESS you today DEB..
Your posts bring strength.
Look forward to seeing WWGGG each morning
Thank you so much, Claire. I am truly blessed by your encouragement. God be with you and bless you!
This hit home today. I have a situation in which I’ve done it all – held the truth back so as to not start a confrontation, spoke the truth and was gently, verbally attacked by this loved one for doing so, and not known the truth … or accused of it and wondered if I really do. Today, I also researched a topic on Google, looking for options for a blog I want to start. I found nothing. The “truth” is presented … one-sided. The other side of that truth has a glaring lack of love for them. Truth. “Thy Word IS truth.” And the truth IS love. I held back the truth in love, spoke it in love, searched for it because of love, and will find it … in love, always.
That’s tough, Cathy! We weigh our words carefully and prayerfully and it’s hard when they are not received well. God bless you for obeying the Lord though and still speaking. I’m praying that you still planted seeds that God is using to whisper the truth to your loved one. God bless you!
Thank you Deb for the post on Why it’s important to know and speak the truth that helps eternally. Words are powerful that can be encouraging or discouraging. God’s word are true and extremely powerful and they will not return void. When we speak God’s word in love, God will help the one speaking and hearing His word for His eternal glory.
Thanks for visiting, Terri! Thanks for pointing out that God not only helps the one speaking but His Spirit is working in the one who hears. May we faithfully share His truth for His glory! God bless you!