Bible Verse Challenge, Day 4: The Whole Truth

Most people know the passage in 1 Corinthians that begins, "Love is patient, love is kind ..." It's read at practically every wedding, and I bet some of you even know it by heart. But the verses that precede the iconic passage speak much more to me.

If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Cor 13:1-3)

There's a famous quote from Ghandi that goes, "I like your Christ. But I do not like your Christians ... Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

He speaks to a serious issue in all of Christianity. What we say we believe and how we live are often starkly, shamefully different. We're all sinners, and sometimes that comes through clearer than out redemption does.

We can be full of zeal for our faith, but that will mean nothing to anyone if we present it with cold, compassionless legalism. As the saying goes, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

At the same time, our humanity isn't a catch-all license to say and do whatever we please. We are broken, but that doesn't mean we're supposed to sit in that brokenness for the rest of our lives. God's mercy doesn't act as an excuse to continue to hurt ourselves and others.

Let's be honest — we're going to fail. But in those moments, willingness to admit it, apologize for it and work to repair the damage can make all the difference. That's why Confession is so important and beneficial. It keeps the ego in check and allows us the freedom to move forward.

The Gospel is about love, truth, justice, and equity. The way we talk about it and the way we live it out should reflect all of those things. When they don't, the message rings hollow and false to the people who most need to hear it.

A caveat, here: Trying to live as good examples of the Gospel does not mean faking it, hiding our struggles and never having a bad day (or week, or season). That's just as bad as showing no remorse for our shortcomings, if not worse. No one responds well to a faker or a liar.

Just be real about everything: Your trials, your frustrations, and the ultimate goodness of God over all of it. Tell your story as it is. The truth speaks volumes more than an airbrushed image ever will.