I’ve been thinking about “truth” this morning…

I’m sure you’ve probably heard the phrase,

“(so and so) loved me enough to tell me the truth.”

One might be referring to something as simple as a person having something in their teeth, or on their face, or perhaps an outfit that is just a big “no” and a friend will be honest about it and tell that person, preventing that person from looking bad. Or on the other end of it, the situation could be a friend who is open and honest about a dangerous life direction their friend might be headed in, and they love their friend too much to let them continue heading in that direction without talking with them about it.

But this morning as I was sitting here, I began thinking about how God “loves us enough to tell us the truth.” …But it goes even deeper than that… He loves us enough to be patient with us while we are getting to the place where we can receive the truth.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.”—Matthew 7:13-14

And He not only gives us the truth, He leads us into His way of truth, and He shows us how to be wise with giving the truth.

Truth from a Father’s heart, truth that shows us who we really are, truth that saves us from destruction…

And His delivery of the truth is always from a pure motive.

(Have you ever wanted to throw the truth at someone when you were angry with them about something? Goodness knows I have. ?)

“Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth.”—1 Kings 17:24

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”—John 1:14

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.“—John 14:6

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”—John 16:13

“Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” —Psalm 25:5

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.“—1 John 3:18

I love how God knows when we are ready for the truth.

He knows when we can handle the truth. He knows at what point the truth will truly “set us free” —He’s the one who prepares our hearts for the truth!

And He shows us how to also be wise with the truth.

I love this quote from a very wise farmer I know,

“When you apply truth in the wrong season, it will bring death and not life.” —Alan Smith

(I know, I have to circle that around in my head a few times too…)

Thank You Lord, for Your truth. Thank You for preparing our hearts for Your truth, and thank You for Your patience while we are getting to the place of being able to take heed of Your truth. Thank You for showing us how to walk wisely in Your way of truth. Thank You for “loving us enough to tell us the truth.” —and for also being patient with us as You prepare our hearts to truly receive it.

-Heather ?