Speak truth in love
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Editor,
I’m not looking forward to nearly 18 months of egregious political ads, vicious ridicule and border-line defamation of an opponent’s character, all in the name of the “democratic process.” I know that this isn’t new; Moses faced slander from members of his own family (Numbers 12). Jesus experienced ridicule from his siblings (John 7:2-5).
Almost every day TV media bombard us with news reports that someone has made an ugly racial slur of one kind or other; all in the name of “Freedom of the Press,” printed cruel satire and ignominious public cartoons denigrate the beliefs of those who worship foreign gods. It has come to a point where there is such animosity and acrimony between people, races and nations a person hardly dares to speak or write for fear of being not only politically incorrect, worse yet, placed on a hit list.
Is there a solution? I believe there is. The Bible says, “lead blameless lives and do what it right, speaking the truth from a sincere heart” (Psalm 15:2). An Old Testament Prophet writes, “Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the Lord;” “love truth and peace” (Zachariah 8:17; 19b). The Ephesians read this from Paul’s pen, “we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Jesus (Christ)” (Ephesians 4:15a). Truth must be spoken with civility, kindness and with love. We must practice the Golden Rule: “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you” (Matthew 7:12a).
Governor Pilate asked Jesus, “What is Truth?” (John 18:38a). In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the truth.” He also said, “Apart from me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5b). We need more of Jesus and less of ourselves in all of our human relationships.
Harvey A. Town
Polson
