by Dona Hake
Over the past few days I have been sharing about the importance of living by the truth of our Lord. I would like to continue in our meditations upon truth, and how it applies to our friendships. Our conviction about the truth we hear and receive will truly make us who we are. It will cause us to be unmovable no matter what the circumstances. You will be able to stand in faith because you live and move and have all of your being in Him. It is vital to live by the truth you have believed in every aspect of your life.
Let us focus on how God sees friendship, and how our living by the truth is so important as we nurture and maintain our friendships. We need to desire to be the friend that will be truthful and honest at all times. Many times people are very loyal in their relationships, and that is a good thing although we must first and foremost be loyal to the truth. Many times an individual is so loyal in a friendship that they fear to speak up and speak truth for fear of losing that relationship. I have shared this quote numerous times before, but I feel it is powerful. Actually, I have it hanging on my desk because I love it so much.
“This above all:to thine ownself be true,
And it must follow, as night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.”
-Shakespeare-Hamlet
In a friendship the truth in your heart can never be compromised. If you know something to be true in your heart and you do not stand by it, your conscience will make you miserable and to be quite honest…that is a warning that you better heed to. It is like the pain in your body that is speaking on it’s behalf letting you know something is wrong. Never water down the truth in you just for the sake of being accepted by someone. I shared with you the other day a quote, “That which you compromise to keep you will ultimately lose.”
It is a sad thing when one allows a conviction to fall by the wayside just so they can be part of the fun they may feel they are missing. When you live by the truth in your heart, that truth will rule your decision making. That truth will be the standard that you live by, and you will make wise choices because of that truth. If you are a friend that desires to be a godly friend, you should always seek to
speak truth and honestly in a matter. Many times people will view a good friend as someone they merely vent to and then draw sympathy from them. A true friend will speak of the truths that they know that will be of help to you in your situation. That truth will be boldly spoken even if it hurts. The following are two different translations of Proverbs27:6.
speak truth and honestly in a matter. Many times people will view a good friend as someone they merely vent to and then draw sympathy from them. A true friend will speak of the truths that they know that will be of help to you in your situation. That truth will be boldly spoken even if it hurts. The following are two different translations of Proverbs27:6.
The Voice
“Wounds inflicted by the correction of a friend prove he is faithful;
the abundant kisses of an enemy show his lies.”
Easy-to-Read Version
“You can trust what your friend says, even when it hurts. But your enemies
want to hurt you, even when they act nice.”
Let me say it this way…many times when we are hurting we can be tempted to want to hear the easy way out of something. Be very cautious if in the midst of a problem you look for people to just vent to and not want to hear good counsel. Something is very wrong if you do not want to hear good counsel . Many times that which we need to hear is the hardest to swallow but so are some of those expensive vitamin pills we take! They may be hard going down but the benefits and blessing are worth it all.
I have had encounters with individuals that have sought my counsel and asked me what I have thought and afterwards they said my words “hurt.” Proverbs 27:6 says it plainly that wounds inflicted by the correction of a friend prove that he is faithful. Seems contradictory I guess to some but really a good friend will not go against their heart when asked their opinion. That is what being true to yourself is all about.
Today I encourage you to think about the kind of friend you are. Are you willing to speak the truth even if it hurts? I pray that this has given you some food for good thought in this area. God bless you as you serve Him today.