Be Nice or Tell the Truth? David FieldDecember 24, 2009
I have addressed this subject in other writings as a side note, but now I feel this issue important enough to be the title of this writing. Sometimes it takes some amount of time to work out a truth. It has to settle for a time to find it’s proper place, either in the basket of truth, or in the other basket. This is one of those issues for me. I have a few people I have been bouncing things off of to aid me in the pursuit of correctness, and some of them have been pastors. They don’t seem to like the more offensive issues and statements, so I have been giving that some consideration, and have been trying to tone it down a bit. I have been told, we shouldn’t be an accuser of the brethren. I have been told to look at the positive. I have been told anybody can criticize, and that criticism is non-productive. I have been told I am very blunt. I have been told in essence, be nice.
But who is it I am supposed to be listening to? Have I been guilty also of giving credence to men and their opinion because of their position on earth, because of my insecurity in God? I have been preaching to listen to God, and to read your bible for yourself, and do not lean on the understanding of men. Apparently I need to take this advice. It is time for me to be more confident in what God is telling me, and my God given ability to listen to him. I am not calling anyone to follow their own understanding, and I am being very careful not to follow my own understanding. I am moreover not saying to follow my understanding. What I am doing is pointing out what the bible says. These steps need to be taken very carefully and thoughtfully, in the reading of the word, and in the seeking, and waiting on the Lord, and in the trusting in him. One must be sure we are not following our own fleshly desires. But for me, once a truth falls into place, it is very settling, and relieving. I have peace with it. Remember it is with our heart that we understand. Knowledge is of the mind, and understanding is of the heart. Understanding is above knowledge. Wisdom is understanding.
So suddenly this morning, it hits me, what DOES the word of God say on this issue? What did Jesus do? The answer was in front of me all along. We are to model our lives after our leader, Jesus’ life and his teachings. Jesus was very gracious to the oppressed, but he wasn’t very nice to the oppressors. He was actually very blunt with the truth, and right to their face. The Pharisees should have repented, but they took offense. And what about the Old Testament prophets? Jeremiah spent a lifetime speaking against the sins of the children of Israel, even though they too didn’t listen. Would you tell him to be nice? Then don’t tell me to tone it down if my message is the same. I wonder if Noah told his neighbors that they were good people. I’m thinking he told them the truth: the earth is about to be flooded because of your sins. That wouldn’t have sounded very nice. That would have been offensive, and not politically correct, to put it in modern terms. Yes political correctness has taken root in the church as well. One reason is because it is easier, and takes less courage. The other is because it is thought that God’s people are to be filled with love, and that love is always nice.
I am not advocating mean spiritedness, but rather to speak the truth out of love. There are two types of criticism; positive, and negative, and we shouldn’t confuse the two. Negative criticism is judgmental, and only put forth as a put down. “You are no good; you never were, and never will be.” Negative criticism offers no solution. Negative criticism says there is no hope for you, which is a damning curse. Positive criticism is put forth to deliver you from a destructive force, and is a blessing. It is to help you. “Stop this train, or we will have a train wreck! Your current actions will lead to an undesirable conclusion, and I do not want that for you.” Jeremiah must have loved his people greatly to put so much effort into the hope of their salvation.
We were not called to the path of least resistance. We are not called to political correctness. We are called to the truth. We are called to speak the truth, and encourage others in Christ to do the same. We need to have the courage to speak the truth. How nice is it to let someone die in ignorance? When you tell me to be nice, you had better be sure what you are saying. I am being nice when I relay the truth of God regardless of how harsh it seems. I am not of the mind to sugar coat the truth, or water it down, or distort it in any way. My desire is to deliver the truth exactly as it is given from above, and I make no apologies. Some of you need to start listening to the truth, for your own good. How blunt is that? If you are offended by this, it is because of conviction. Simply repent. No need to feel guilt.
If you think that I am saying here, you should listen to me only, then you’ve taken it out of context, and you need to reread this writing. The bible says, Woe to those that do not listen to the prophets of God. Jesus said many times, do not be fooled by the many false prophets. This could mean the false prophets would outnumber the good. A prophet is simply one who repeats the words of God. Even Jesus said he only spoke the words of the father. A false prophet is one that claims to speak of God, but leads you to his own words, and for the purpose of self-gratification. Sometimes the deception is very subtle. There is no safety in numbers; in either numbers of preachers, or number of followers. There is no safety in men, even as godly as they may seem, or be esteemed by other men. It is up to you to engage your own God given ability to decipher the truth, and thusly it’s origins. All truth can be measured against the word of God. Too many stop at measuring it according to what they want to hear, and what is immediately easier to swallow, never going to the word. Before you pass by any of these writings, ask yourself, what does the word of God say on this subject? God’s word always agrees with itself. If what I am saying is from God, then it will agree with the written word of God. I do not try to come up with this on my own.