by David Chadwick We are taking two weeks to look at how to have courage in culture. We must decide beforehand what our answer will be before we ever have to stand for truth. We must also know the truth, standing as people of conviction whose lives back up what we say we believe. What else must we do to be people of courage in a godless culture? We must speak the truth in love. It is not enough to know the truth, even though that is very important, as we learned yesterday. We must find non-hostile and loving ways to share our deepest convictions with a broken, hurting, and often offended world. The answer is not to cower in the face of opposition. It is to stand – full of confidence and compassion. Full of conviction and kindness. Determined to remain truthful and loving. When Paul adjured the Christians in Ephesus to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15), he knew that love must be a driving force in releasing the message of Jesus. He goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 13:1 that if we have all of the gifts, but don’t have love, we are just a “noisy gong or clanging cymbal.” Someone once said that how you say something may be more important than what you say. If you angrily speak the truth, many will close their ears and refuse to listen. It will turn them off and they, in turn, will turn you off. But when you speak the truth respectfully to someone, listening to their views, not condemning them, practicing reflective listening, and really loving them as a fellow image bearer of God, you will be more likely to have an audience who is willing to hear of God’s truth living inside of you. My dear friend, as we live in these days full of cowardice, be a person of courage. Walk confidently knowing that your life may be the reflection of Jesus that someone longs to see. Know God’s truth in his Word. And speak the truth in love. See if it doesn’t begin to change hearts toward Jesus. It is another way to have courage in culture.
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