7. Love and truth must go together.

Slide 7 of 7

Just as God exercises love and truth together, so should we. Love, when expressed with truth, creates a compassionate and just foundation for our relationships. Truth, when expressed with love, maintains its integrity while remaining kind and considerate. 1 Corinthians 13:6 tells us: “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” Love is aligned with truth. True love finds its joy in what is true and good, not in deception or wrongdoing. What good is it to love people but lie to them, or to be honest yet harsh with people? The people in my life who I admire the most spiritually are those who express both love and truth. They speak and act in caring ways, but they don’t neglect telling the truth and living with integrity. When we develop discernment, we aim to be loving and truthful together day by day. Ephesians 4:15 reveals that when we practice both love and truth, we can grow to become more like Jesus: “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” 

We can develop discernment when we seek God’s wisdom to see ourselves, others, and situations in ways that align with God’s perspective. It’s important for us to understand accurately, but not stop there. We also need to act on that wisdom faithfully, exercising discernment day by day. Then we’ll grow in spiritual maturity and enjoy close relationships with God. Let’s pray for discernment, along with the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:9-11: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.”

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