Speak the truth [in love]

Christians have to learn to speak the truth in love.

2 parts. Truth and love.

6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Col 4

Some lack truth, some lack love. Some even lack both.

But even if the gist of the message is truthful, we sometimes forget to add in the 'love' part. For myself, I'm okay with it. Sometimes, I'm even addicted to it.

I appreciate serious talk and comments from others. I have been pulled one side and told off before. Zero love, zero tact, zero diplomacy, pure, blunt truth.

Really brushes hard against the sensitive side of me. But still, it's for my good and from their good intentions. So, I'm grateful after all.

Real close friends make the truth element clear when they have something important to tell you. They never neglect the facts. They don't let the sugar-coating mask the truth.

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But some people....hai...speak falsehood bluntly. I do sometimes, though. Neither healing nor encouraging nor supportive nor optimistic nor edifying.

Some people are un-sensitive. Maybe it's just them. But we still have to love them no matter what.

We have to:

• love them
• forgive them
• accomodate them
• respect them

But that doesn't mean we have to:

• like them
• talk to them (unless they come to us)
• mingle with them always
• give in to them
  

Human issues. People problem. Very difficult to handle.

Lord, teach me how.