ANOTHER CLIMAX IS reached: “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love” (Eph. 4:15–16).
This verse emphasizes a truth that you become what you habitually give out: “speaking the truth in love . . . upbuilds itself in love.” You give out love, and you become a loving person. You are born of the qualities that you habitually give out. Give out criticism, and you become critical. The person is the pay-off. So give out love and only love, and you are the pay-off—a loving person.
You are to speak the truth in love. You can speak the truth without love and it will not produce redemption, but rebellion. Truth without love can produce a philosophy or a moralism, but bare truth can never redeem. That is why God had to wrap His truth in love and call His name Jesus. In Jesus love speaks, acts, and thinks in every word, every syllable, every deed. He is love in action.
When we are in Jesus and speak the truth in love, then we grow up in every way into Him. Note the “in every way”—mentally, emotionally, volitionally, physically, socially. You don’t have to wither any of these in order to grow up into Him. An Indian student said he wanted to surrender to Christ, but since he was a good basketball player he found it difficult to desert it. I told him not to desert it, but to dedicate it. Fully surrendered to Christ he would probably be a better basketball player. Everything good will be better. Love turns all our bad into good, our good into better, our better into best, our best into His best. This contributes to the whole: “when each part is working properly . . . upbuilds itself in love.” Each part is working properly—what a responsibility for oneself and others!
O Jesus, I would grow up into Thee in every way. Save me from growing up into Thee lopsidedly—my emotions overdeveloped and my mind underdeveloped, my will not keeping up with my mind. I would be growing up in every way in Thee. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: Trim me, O God, where I’m overgrown, and stimulate me where I’m underdeveloped.
