Galatians 4:16
Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?
A.T. Robertson quips “It is always a risky business to speak the truth, the whole truth. It may hit and hurt.” Telling the truth can be hard…but it can also be easy. Additionally, sometimes we wield the truth as a weapon with the intent to injure…rather than employing it out of love and concern for our fellow man. As the bible states, it can be a two-edged sword (Heb 4:12) that is able to cut and cut deep, so we would all do well to remember that when we pull it from its scabbard.
The Galatians needed to hear the truth, and Paul was willing to give it to them. Was he their enemy because he chose to deliver a message that cut them? From their perspective, apparently so, but from his, he was doing it out of love—love for them, but even more so, love for the LORD. Solomon wrote, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy” (Pr 27:6). Do you have any friends that always butter you up? They always make you feel good because they never have anything negative to offer. When you drive with them, relationally speaking, it’s all green lights. Never a yellow and most definitely never a red. I would suggest that they are not as good a friend as you may think.
Paul was a great friend to the Galatians, and he was more concerned for their walk with the Lord than he was for their feelings. That being said, insensitivity should never mark a Christian’s life. God is remarkably patient and kind towards us and if we are going to bear his image well (the Imago Dei), we should extend the same to others. If you pulled a sharp and dangerous sword out in the company of a friend, would you handle it with care? Of course, you would! So, too, should we handle the truth with care.
Just this morning I had a confrontation of sorts with our 20-year-old son. He is going through a very challenging season and so I am trying to be sensitive to that, yet I found myself compelled to speak a hard truth to him. I have a reputation for doing that boldly, but I also have a reputation for sometimes doing that recklessly…especially at home. I decided to wait. He left the house for work and I allowed myself some time to cool off. Had I engaged him while he was still here, I know that I would have been using the sword out of anger and frustration rather than love and concern. By waiting, I got my emotions under control and was able to send a text containing the truth I needed to speak, but also with the love and motivation that gave it God’s blessing. The Holy Spirit won out, thank God.
I don’t know how the truth hit my son, yet, but I can’t control his reaction. I do know this: If I’m all truth but no grace, I’m just a bully. But, if I’m all grace and no truth…I’m a coward. In John 1:14 Jesus is described as being full of both grace and truth. It’s a high bar to get over for us, but it is the bar He has set, nevertheless. So, the next time you decide to be a Truth Teller, please remember to check your motivation…and your tone…and be aware of the fact that you are wielding a very sharp and potentially dangerous weapon.
