Speaking the Truth in Love
Bible Readings
Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses listed and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in how this verse applies to you this week.
1 What if I could speak all languages of humans and even of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 What if I could prophesy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others. 3 What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others. 4 Love is patient and kind, never jealous, boastful, proud, or 5 rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. 6 Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. 7 Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. 8 Love never fails! Everyone who prophesies will stop, and unknown languages will no longer be spoken. All that we know will be forgotten. 9 We don't know everything, and our prophecies are not complete. 10 But what is perfect will someday appear, and what isn't perfect will then disappear. 11 When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways. 12 Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don't know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us. 13 For now there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Memory Verse
Ephesians 4:15
15 Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head
Have you ever watched a pot of water boil on the stove? When the heat is turned up and the lid is on the pot, the water heats up and begins to boil. Sometimes it boils too long and the water bubbles over and makes a big mess. Or maybe you have blown up a balloon. You take a deep breath to fill your lungs with air and push it into the balloon. With each breath it grows bigger and bigger, sometimes so big that it pops!
Just like a pot boils over or a balloon fills with too much air, our feelings can build up inside of us so much that it feels like we are going to burst! Maybe we feel sad or afraid. Maybe even embarrassed. The great news is, that we never have to keep our feelings to ourselves.
In 1 Corinthians 13 we learned what it means to give and receive God’s love and how we are to show love to one another. We also learned that love “rejoices in the truth”.
Talking honestly about feelings with people that you love can relieve some of the pressure you're feeling. When you talk with your family and people you trust, they can hear you and remind you that you are loved. You can share with God what’s on your heart too. Whatever your feelings are, even the big ones, they are important and they matter. You do not need to be afraid to share them, because when you speak the truth in love, love can handle all things!
Prayer
Lord, give me the courage to speak the truth in love knowing that through Your grace, love can take away all my fears. Amen.Related Resources
Ginnette Yonkman
Ginnette Yonkman is a clinical counselor at Chicago Christian
Counseling Center at their New Lenox and South Holland locations. She is
passionate about serving individuals, couples, and families struggling
with a variety of mental health issues. Ginnette received her bachelor’s
degree from Trinity Christian College and master’s degree from Olivet
Nazarene University.