“But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head – Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15 CSB)
Efficiency comes in combinations. Right? If you go to the drive-thru at a fast food restaurant, the menu offers all sorts of “combo’s.” If you order the items separately, they cost more, and it takes longer to get your order together. But the fast food combo approach makes everything simpler, quicker, and thus more efficient.
There are some great “combo’s” in the Bible. One that comes to mind is “faith, hope, and love.” Another one is faith and faithfulness. There is also “the way, the truth, and the life.” And in this text above we find a great one: truth and love. These two make a great combination.
Truth itself is a great concept, and it’s an absolute concept. By itself it is wonderful, but it can also be rather stark. The truth can be like a rock – hard and rough. Likewise, love by itself is a wonderful concept, and having a feeling of love toward God or others can be exhilarating. But if all we have is the feeling, it blesses us but may not accomplish much else. But if you put truth and love together, you get a synergistic effect. It’s like mixing hydrogen and oxygen and lighting a match. You get an explosive effect that produces water. Speaking the truth can injure. Loving someone can make you feel good. But speaking the truth in love can result in personal, spiritual growth and can provide ministry to others at the same time. It can help others grow as well.
Lord, Help us to speak the truth in love today, so that we may grow and also help someone else grow with us. Amen.
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