Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Thursday, January 17, 2019

"Speaking the truth in love."¹

Mark Twain said, "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug."

When English poet Keats was writing a poem he asked his friend Leigh Hunt what he thought of the line, "A beautiful thing is an unending joy."

"Good, but not quite perfect," said Hunt.

"How about this?" said Keats, "A thing of beauty is an unending joy."

Finally Keats put it this way, "A thing of beauty is a joy forever."

"That," said his friend, "will live as long as the English language is spoken.'

When God speaks he always has the right word. Sometimes his words are difficult to understand. Other times they are incredibly simple but extremely profound. The following are some examples: "Love one another," "God is love," "I am the bread of life," "I am the vine, you are the branches," "I am the door," and so on. His first word in the Bible is about as straightforward as anyone could make it. It simply says, "In the beginning God." His last word or message as the Bible closes is just as simple and just as profound: "I am coming soon!"

May God help us to always speak the right word? It doesn't have to be eloquent but it needs to be straightforward, genuine, and spoken in truth from the heart! God put it just right: "Speak the truth in love."

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to say the right thing at the right time and always speak the truth in loveâ€"and keep my mouth shut when I need to. Always. Even when I'm ticked off. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Ephesians 4:15 (NKJV).

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