By Jennifer Waddle, Ministry Development Team
“In darkness God’s truth shines most clear.” —Corrie Ten Boom
We’ve all heard the phrase “truth in love,” but how many of us know what it means to put it into practice? Hard truths sometimes come across as unloving or unkind. And outward displays of love are sometimes mistaken as approval of wrongdoing. So, what does it really mean to be a truth-teller with a motive of pure love
Holocaust survivor, Corrie Ten Boom, understood the transformative power of truth-telling. She once said, “If people can be taught to hate, they can be taught to love! We must find the way, you and I, no matter how long it takes.” What an empowering statement for us today!
Let’s join Corrie’s belief that love can be exemplified and taught. Through selfless acts of kindness, continued forgiveness, and Godly wisdom, let’s approach the world as a classroom full of hearts ready to receive the truth of Christ’s love.
My friends, there’s no better time to say what needs to be said. To look our loved ones in the eye and say, “You are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has prepared in advance for you.” (Ephesians 2:10) Imagine how affirmations like these could give people hope for a greater purpose – a purpose motivated by love for the greater good. With the common goal of helping others see their inherent worth, perhaps the world will be loosed from the chains of hatred and captivated by God’s eternal love.
Of all the New Year’s resolutions we could make, truth-telling is one of the most transformative.
Together, encircled in God’s love, we forge ahead without fear or distraction. As Corrie Ten Boom said, “Your love in me is stronger than the hatred.” Let her words be a precious reminder that the love of God is both our mission and our motive. By personifying truth in love, we create a ripple effect of change that spreads far and wide.
Let’s follow the words of Paul to the Ephesians when he said, “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. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”
Grateful to be on this journey with you,
Jennifer
