The truth is not always easy to hear in the moment. Sometimes, the truth forces us to reevaluate our thought patterns, admit our mistakes, and more. While the truth is not always what we want to hear, the truth is essential, especially when the truth comes from God and His word. As a result, we must surround ourselves with people who speak the truth to point us toward Christ, even if the truth is difficult for us to hear. We must encourage the children in our lives to also be people who speak the truth and surround themselves with people who speak the truth.
We learn in the book of Proverbs just how serious speaking the truth is to God. In Proverbs 12, the author of this Proverb wrote, “The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in those who tell the truth” (verse 22). The language in this verse is strong. God detests lies. The truth, however, brings Him great delight. We can either be people who dishonor God by speaking lies or honor Him by speaking the truth.
We receive more understanding of what it looks like to speak the truth to others in Ephesians 4. The apostle Paul wrote in this chapter of Ephesians, "We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever that they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ" (verses 14-15). We are called to pierce through the lies that are perpetrated by the rest of the world. We must speak the truth always, even when the world is spreading lies that sound like truth. How do we speak the truth? We speak the truth “in love.” That means showing kindness and compassion while we speak the truth instead of arrogance and judgment.
Make no mistake—the words we say are significant. Because we follow Christ, we must always speak the truth, especially when it is hard. We must surround ourselves with people who speak the truth and encourage our children to do the same.
What friends do you have in your life who speak the truth, even when it is hard? Reach out to them today, thanking them for being sources of truth in your life. Invite them to continue speaking the truth, always, regardless of how challenging it may be to deliver. Commit to speaking the truth to them as well.
1Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.
5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 one God and Father of all,
who is over all, in all, and living through all.
7 However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. 8 That is why the Scriptures say,
“When he ascended to the heights,
he led a crowd of captives
and gave gifts to his people.”
9 Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. 10 And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
