Read Pr. 28:23
People appreciate the truth. Period. I would rather someone be open and honest with me even if it hurt than for them to lie just to save my feelings then complain about me to someone else. There is a godly way to rebuke someone. Just think of how the Holy Spirit rebukes you. He is loving and kind and does it in a way that changes your heart rather than devastate you. It helps to know that God loves me totally. Seminars will tell you that if you need to correct an employee you first build them up and tell them all the things they are doing right then you slip in the one thing that they need to work on. The Bible tells us not to discipline when we are upset but to wait until we are calmed down and can have a better perspective on the situation. The promise today says that if you discipline a person the right way they will eventually come back around and be your friend. I experienced that one day in the grocery store. I ran into an old friend and she was telling me about a guy she had just met and really liked. I told her to run as fast as she could in the opposite direction. I could tell she was offended and wasn't going to take my advise. She didn't and we didn't talk for a year. Then I ran into her again and she came up to me and said, "The next time you tell me to run the other way, I'm going to listen." She appreciated that I would stick my neck out and tell her the truth but I loved her too much to smile and say, "that's great" when I knew it wasn't.
Lord, give us grace to speak the truth in love and know when to do it. Remind us that we can pray and our prayers will be affective.
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