your friend spoke the truth in love, he literally was speaking about his log, but in turn helping you with your own.
i think personally, if we havent gone thru ‘whatever log’ we are wanting to help a person get out of, we can’t speak to them in experience, love and empathy.
I can say to a youth, man, you have got to get off the drugs, etc, but if i can not relate to his story and also give him real concrete help and truth from the bible, then its not love.
its the people who do not check their own log/self, then spew out propaganda/christian catch phrases, that hurt everyone, the afflicted, the christians and God.
sidenote: i was watching the ‘700 club’ w/pat robertson, and he was calling people idiots. nice. makes me want to give to his ministry….not. or be a christian. or even be in the political arena with him…..
just my 2 cents, Kristina

Humble compassion. Sometimes the truth can be spoken without even saying a word.

Good question, man.

How have I? Not well all of the time. But I’ve learned that when I say things in a loving and respectful manner people listen more to me than when I’m ugly.

I had some people trashing me at a previous church. Instead of preaching about them. I set up a meeting to confront them in person. They refused to meet so I went to the deacons. I have and never will say anything bad about them. They were wrong in their attitudes but I can’t be towards them. You actually visited me during that painful time.

“Speaking the truth in love” comes from Ephesians 4:15 in which the context is talking about the gifts and calling of us to be apostles, teacher, prophets, and evangelists. It is talking about the building up of the body of Christ in which we are to grow and build one another up in love. There were also those who were trying to deceive others in their teaching v. 14. So what does “speaking the truth in love” mean to me in that context. It means that when we use the truth of God’s word we use it to build others up in the motive of love. We are also to speak the truth in love when others are being led astray by deceitful teachings of this world.

The problem I see with this is that some people use the Bible or their knowledge of the truth in pride without humility or compassion. This use of the “Sword” can be abusive and cause more damage than good. “Bible bashers” have turned many away from Christ and the truth of the Gospel with a “holier than thou” attitude.

More simply put, I must use the truth properly sharing it in love. One great example is when I share the truth with my children who I love. Correction and admonishment is not always well received but it must be given if we truly care about our children or those around us. Sometimes the truth hurts when my children are not receptive, but in the long run when spoken in love it bears good fruit.