Walking with the Wise #502: Care Enough to Confront

“Better is open rebuke
 than hidden love.”

—Proverbs 27:5

If you love somebody, you will care enough to tell him or her the truth. Love is risky. Telling someone the truth about what they are doing wrong puts one at risk for rejection, but that is the price one must pay for loving someone.

A rebuke shows far more love than someone who has a feeling in his or her heart, but never acts upon it. Loving confrontation, coupled with compassionate understanding, and tactful dialogue helps one see the error of his or her ways. As the Proverb says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
 profuse are the kisses of an enemy”—Proverbs 27:6.

Have you put your love into action? Have you cared enough to share with them? Don’t hide it; if you love them, you will want to tell them what’s wrong. If you don’t, then you don’t love them enough. If Jesus cared enough to come to earth, live among us, and tell us the solution to our sins, will you care enough to speak to them? Ask God and He will give you opportunity. Amen.