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Speaking Truth in Love

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:2-3 NIV

We are in the throes of “silly season.” That is what we call election season in my line of work. This season, which started early this go-around, is wrought with vitriol, lies, and, at best, strongly worded critique about ideas that oppose our opinion and understanding of the truth. The bitterness is played out in living color on television and in the cesspool that is social media. There is no shortage of strong opinions and, frankly, it can be overwhelming.

I caught myself experiencing a lot of anxiety about the outcome of the election and have spewed my own negative talk.  Recently, I heard the Spirit of God saying, “Cut it out!” His charge to me was reflected in the words of Paul in Ephesian 4. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:29-32.

No matter where we sit on the political spectrum, Jesus has called us to something different. If the biblical principles of humility, patience, gentleness, compassion, forgiveness, unity, and speaking truth in love seem to be at odds with what we are experiencing right now, they should be. If those same biblical principles are not a part of our discourse as believers, maybe they ought to be.

It is high time for believers to take a collective deep breath and ask our Father for guidance, wisdom, and hearts of humility. The next time you feel compelled to respond to bitterness with bitterness, try experimenting with being kind and forgiving others. We might say, “But they don’t deserve that!” True, but neither do we, yet God still forgave us.

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