Thoughts for the Day

So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbours, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labour and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

I overheard one person telling another, "I'm telling you the truth for your own good!" as they proceeded to make a wounding criticism of the other person. It reminded me of two examples, one was the anonymous letters I received when I was priested and became the first female minor canon at Worcester cathedral. Many of these called me all kinds of derogatory things in the name of "truth", but their vile language somewhat undermined their claim to speak of Christian truth. The other was of a young woman who had a habit of claiming she spoke the truth in prophecy, saying "God has told me to say ...." and out would come something extremely negative about a person or about the congregation.

All of the different ways we are to live as Christians in the passage from Ephesians above have one thing in common. If we're not sure if we are speaking truth to someone; if we're not sure if we're committing a sin by being angry; if we're not sure we have let evil into our heart; and if we're not sure if we're grieving the Holy Spirit, there is one way to find an answer. We need to look at the outcomes - what happened afterwards as a result of what we said! Did it lead to "world war 3" or peace and harmony?

If we want to tell the truth to someone, we also need to ask ourselves if we are doing so out of love for the other person and will it be carried out in love. If our intentions are not loving, then we are harming ourself, and surely grieving the Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit, Power of God,
teach us how to live as faithful christians,
to speak truth in love to others;
not to let anger spill into action,
but to confess our sin;
and to speak peace to all whom we meet.
Above all we ask for the gift of kindness
that shows itself in our ability to love others,
and only seek their good.
Amen.