True AND Kind

Early this year Shorty and I read the Divergent trilogy. Since all good literature draws you in, we discussed which faction (group) we would have been part of based on our personalities. Without hesitation, Shorty declared that I would have TOTALLY been in Candor. If you are not familiar with the story, the Candor faction value the truth above all else. They say the nastiest things. Whatever comes to mind, follows immediately out of their mouths. I don't intend to be mean (at least part of the time), but it definitely comes across that way sometimes. Reading this story highlighted a weakness in my life and parenting.

Since finishing the books, I've been talking to my Crew about truth not being God's only requirement for our words. So this morning, when I confronted one of the girls for snapping at her brother, her immediate response was, "Well it's TRUE!" I had to remind her that God expects our words to be both true AND kind. This does not mean that the truth is always pleasant, but the motivation for our words should be love for God and others-- even if it hurts.

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
Galatians 5:13-25