Of the many things I love about my mom, chief among them may be her candor. Many times I have called to ask her opinion on a matter and she has consistently responded, Dont ask my opinion unless you want to hear it. Im not going to try to figure out what you want to hear. Ill tell you what I really think.
In a world where words are carefully parsed, her straightforwardness is refreshing. It is also one of the characteristics of a true friend. Real friends speak the truth to us in loveeven if it isnt what we want to hear. As the proverb says, Faithful are the wounds of a friend (Prov. 27:6).
This is one of the reasons Jesus is the greatest of friends. When He encountered the woman at the well (John 4:7-26), He refused to be pulled into a tug-of-war over secondary issues but instead drove to the deepest issues and needs of her heart. He challenged her about the character of the Father and lovingly spoke to her of her broken dreams and deep disappointments.
As we walk with our Lord, may we allow Him to speak candidly to the true condition of our hearts through the Scripturesthat we might turn to Him and find His grace to help us in our times of need.
Read: John 4:7-26
Real friends speak the truth to us in loveeven if it isnt what we want to hear.
Thanks for today's sustenance for body and soul.
"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." -from THE BIBLE: Ephesians 4:29-32