___________The truth can hurt... and help ________

Sometimes the truth can hurt.

Often we remain blissfully blind to the

“less-than-perfect” aspects of ourselves.

When our faults are pointed out by someone

we feel doesn’t have our best

interest at heart, it can be a deeply

wounding experience.

But sometimes the truth can

hurt and help. That’s what happens

when a trusted friend tells us what we

need to know about ourselves, for our

own benefit. Some people

fear that Jesus came into

the world to shame us by

pointing out all our faults

and failures. 

Nothing could

be further from the truth. 

Jesus does

tell us in no uncertain terms that we

are sinners. But He also tells us that

we are of infinite worth to Him and

that He came to die to deliver us

from those sins.

“For God so loved the world (you and me)

that he gave his one and only [begotten] Son, that

whoever believes in him

shall not perish but have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the

world to condemn the world, but to

save the world through him”

(John 3:16-17, NIV).

And, “If we confess our sins, he is

faithful and just and will forgive

us our sins and purify us of all

unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, NIV).

So call out to Jesus. He is

not ashamed to call

us His brothers and

sisters. Though our

pride may be hurt for

a moment as we

acknowledge and turn away

from our sins, we will be

helped forever by the forgiveness

and life-changing power

of Jesus Christ.

To learn more about God,

read the Bible (Proverbs 27:6,

Hebrews 2:11, John 3:1-21), talk to a

friend who knows Jesus, visit a Church

that teaches that Jesus is God.