SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE

    I really struggle with speaking the truth in love. I know that the truth is the BEST thing for a person......But I'm not sure that I always come across as loving. The truth is I've just recently become more assertive in speaking the truth...
 I once heard a quote...I don't know who it's by, but it went like this. Love without truth is hypocracy, but truth without love is brutality.....
I don't ever want to come across that way (brutal).....but is that because I don't want to be thought of as unloving? Is it my desire for SELF preservation?
Isn't it entirely possible that when someone is steeped in sin, it will come across as brutal, no matter how lovingly you say it? Just on the basis that they are walking in darkness...the light will be a shock to their eyes. It makes people uncomfortable.

Ever heard the term "cold hard truth"? Also , I can't help but think of Jesus and what He said to Peter -when Peter just really didn't understand. Jesus said "Get thee behind me Satan". (Matt 16:23)  Now does that "seem" loving?? I say seem, because we know that Jesus was the embodiment of God's love...Jesus was perfect....so what He said to Peter was perfectly loving......To Peter- Jesus was the aroma of life leading to life .... The bible says you will know if you follow on to know the Lord.... Well Peter didn't let that offend Him.....Jesus was the aroma of life ... and He followed that aroma even to death! (2 Cor 2:15-16)

Some were offended and walked away...

To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

If we peddle the word of God... that means that somehow (in the flesh) we are compensated for our labor... Wether it's the praise of men..or actual monetary compensation.... We can tend to compromise the word of God if that is our motive....But Paul is saying here that we should be sincere and speak the truth even though we may not seem to be compensated at all(in a physical sense ) for it. Many times we will be hated! But if we are sincere, we will not compromise it and in due time we will reap a heavenly reward! (spiritual compensation)

I do know one thing..the truth is the truth...... And if we love Jesus... we will recieve it , because in recieving truth we recieve Him.......I am the WAY , the Truth, and the Life...... No one comes to the Father except through Me. ( John 14:6  )