Daily Devotions - Truth and Love

2 John NIV
1 The elder, To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth— 2 because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever: 3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love. 4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. 7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. 11 Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work. 12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 13 The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings.

 

Which is easier, to walk in truth or walk in love?

 

There are so many things that are going on in the world today,  no person can really know the full truth. What is heard and seen on television or social media may or may not be the truth. The only truth that I can be assured of is that You are the truth and that truth matters. Jesus, You are also love. Truth and Love are not opposed to each other. Sometimes I have been passionate about what I believe is the truth but have not been very loving. Other times I have tried to be very loving but have failed to care enough about what is true. Love becomes soft if it is not strengthened by truth. Truth becomes hard if it is not softened by love. Lord give me Your discernment to do both. Only by knowing the truth of Your Word and holding fast to Your teachings will I be able to recognize deceivers who do not acknowledge You as Lord and try to manipulate what truth is. Let me reject false teachings but still act in love. Let love be the aim of my life, based on Your truth. The test of love is my obedience to You and the truth of Your Word.  Lord, help me to maintain this balance between truth and love and always ‘speak the truth in love. Amen