Love Others Enough to Tell Them the Truth  

Some of our elderly political leaders have shown signs of apparent physical and mental frailties during recent public events. These occurrences have resulted in questions being raised about age limits or term limits for our elected representatives. It makes you wonder if there aren’t those around these individuals who would lovingly confront them with the truth about their situation, encouraging them to accept the fact that it may be time to step back from their positions, or at least to refrain from seeking reelection. Many are probably afraid to broach such a sensitive subject with people or don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. However, wouldn’t it be a greater act of love, as well as better for our country, to help such persons come to terms with the truth rather than enabling them to keep denying reality while putting themselves in embarrassing situations?  

 The same holds true when it comes to spiritual frailties. Some people seem to think that love means refusing to point out to others when they have strayed from the path of God’s will. They view love as affirming others, even if those individuals have become confused or are willfully ignoring the truth. Is it loving to ignore ways of thinking and behavior that put people at odds with what God has revealed in His Word to be the truth? Is it loving to encourage people to live in ways that result in their missing out on God’s better plan for their lives, as well as what could eventually end in eternal separation from their Maker?   

Granted, we need to be careful and prayerful in how we confront others. Unfortunately, there are those who do it in harsh ways and with a more condemning, self-righteous attitude rather than with a loving, humble, redemptive spirit. Nevertheless, love doesn’t stand idly by while people are traveling down a road leading toward heartache and destruction. It warns them and encourages them to change direction.  

The Bible tells us of an occasion when ungodly King Ahab was going out to battle (See I Kings 22). He gathered a bunch of prophets to tell him exactly what he wanted to hear – prophesying of success and victory. However, he was resistant about bringing in one particular prophet who spoke the true word of the Lord. In Ahab’s words, “I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” God’s prophet ended up confronting Ahab with the truth, including foretelling his defeat and death.

The truth can be painful. However, that doesn’t mean we don’t need to hear it and take it to heart. Too many today are like Ahab. They listen only to those voices who agree with them, who affirm their sinful behavior, and who tell them what they want to hear. And they hate those who dare to assert the truth about what God actually says in His Word about certain matters.

Romans 1:16-32 describes the moral decline of a society. Unfortunately, it sounds all too much like our own world today. This passage ends by describing all kinds of immorality, closing with this indictment on the people involved in it: “who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:32).

We live in a time when individuals, society, and religious leaders are guilty of not only practicing such immorality, but affirming those who do so. They often do it in the name of love, even in the name of a God of love. However, real love will tell people the truth and warn them about the need to turn from their sin.

Who needs you to love them enough to help them face reality?