What To Say And How To Say It
"For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say." John 12:49-50
It wasn't enough that Jesus knew what his Father wanted him to say. Jesus also needed to know how his Father wanted him to say it.
Whether you're confronting someone about an issue, comforting them in their darkest times, teaching someone, evanglizing to someone...knowing the message is only half of the story. It's also our responsibility as Christians to give that message in the way that God wants us to. Our responsibility as God's messengers does not begin nor end with mere words.
"It's just the truth." "I'm just stating the facts." "That person just needs a good dose of reality." Too often I have heard these words used as excuses to hurt or curse another person. Truth without love isn't the kind of Truth that Jesus was.
3 comments:
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
I may be able to speak the languages of men and even of angels, but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell. I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understood all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains - but if I have no love, I am nothing. I may give away everything I have and even give up my body to be burnt - but if I have no love, this does me no good.
All you need is love?
Cheers,
Hmmm. That seems to answer my question a long time ago about lying for the sake of someone's feelings. Cool.
Good reference, Amanda. I was actualyl going to reference that verse mysel fbut I alreayd had too many links.
And Aleah, I hadn't thought about how this applied to your older question but that's an interesting connection.
Post a Comment