Guest Post: The Love and Truth of Jesus

This month I am taking a break from blogging to focus on a new blog, “Bringing the Word“.  It is an online Bible study on the book of John.  If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, I would be honored!

Meanwhile, over the past year, I have had the opportunity to get to know some fantastic writers.  They have been gracious enough to write a post based on their understanding of the message of God’s truth through Jesus in the book of John.

My first guest post is by Heather Bock who writes a beautiful blog at “Glimpses of Jesus“. Heather is a new Texan, a homeschooling, running, party planning, and teaching mother of three with a degree focused on Biblical studies, literature, and French. She has written a Bible study, Glimpses of Jesus in Genesis, and she writes posts every week on her blog.  I have cherished Heather’s words of encouragement as well as her passion for her craft.  I hope you will enjoy her word today!

Thanks Heather!

Jesus embodies love and truth.

The story of His encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4 illustrates this. He knew the truth about what the woman had done and made that knowledge clear to her. I’m sure the people around her had already been harshly pointing out that truth. Maybe this is why she was alone at the well in the heat of the day, a time when other women sheltered themselves indoors.

However, Jesus surprised her. He didn’t just point out her sin but in love offered her living water. He spoke to her with patience and kindness. She didn’t know this, but she, the sinful Samaritan woman, was the first Jesus clearly told that He was the Messiah. Grace.

She responded to this truth offered to her in love by spreading the message of who He was to all the men she could find in the city.

This is the way Jesus interacts with me, too.

When I have sin in my life, He is never harsh with me. He gently shines a light on that which needs to be removed from my heart, but He usually does it one at a time, never overwhelming me with my sin. When I expect condemnation and punishment for what I’ve done wrong, He offers me forgiveness and kindness instead. He is so sweet to me.

His kindness leads me to repentance (Rom. 2:4).

Pride comes before a fall, right? Yes, I have made myself fall in my pride before. I’ve started arguments that I later came to regret. However, it’s not Jesus who makes me fall. Often when I am proud, instead of tripping me up, He showers me with honors and blessings that I can clearly see I don’t deserve, and I am left with nothing but humility.

In response, like the woman at the well who encountered the love and truth of Jesus, I tell others about His love, not by running to the middle of the city and speaking out with my voice like she did, but through writing. I type words on my blog and advertise those words through every social media I can in order to spread the message of His love and forgiveness.

The love and truth Jesus offers leads me to offer it to others, not just through a message written and published online but in the way I interact with others around me who are lost in their sin. I don’t do as good a job at this as my Jesus does—not even close—but He is teaching me.

Because of His influence in my life, I’m more likely to speak of people who have a different worldview, a worldview that seems wrong to me based on the truth I find in Scripture, with love. Without compromising truth, I can listen to what they’re actually saying instead of jumping to conclusions based on what others on their side might say. I can speak respectfully to and of them without using words that belittle. Truth has to be given with love.

I wish I always did this. Sometimes I let my emotions carry me away, and my words are less living water than poison. However, if I keep looking to Jesus’ example, I will grow in my ability to speak truth in love. I’m thankful He never fails me in this.