²⁵ Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor,^[a] because we are members of one another. (Ephesians 4:25 CSB)

It can be difficult to speak to others in love and truth. To not get on a judgmental or overly righteous soapbox, but to simply speak truth in love.

But what does it mean to speak truth in love? How does one go about this?

First of all, our truth must be grounded in scripture.

Second our love must be grounded in God.

We cannot separate one from the other. Scriptural truth is not a convenient truth. It has hard edges and when not spoken in love can drive people away rather than bring them in. Additionally, love cannot override truth. We cannot, in our love, be unwilling to speak truth. Love, while humble and gentle, must be firmly grounded in the hard truths others may not want to hear. Thus, our compassion must abound.

All of this we do because “we are members of one another”. This, in our independently motivated world gets lost in translation. We forget who we are as a body of Christ. We must come together in love so that we build each other up.

Thus, we strive to speak truth in love inwardly within the members of Christ body and outwardly so that more may be brought in.