05/04/17 CAN YOU HANDLE THE TRUTH?

05/04/17 CAN YOU HANDLE THE TRUTH?
Occasionally a dreadful sickness ravages and threatens a life, leaving the victim with only extreme options for possible physical restoration. The options are so drastic that few of those who are afflicted will choose to submit to the therapy. Sometimes the family will not even talk about the sickness or the difficult choices that need to be made.

This same kind of scenario is found in sick and broken relationships as well. This is especially true when the broken relationship is the result of human error or misdeeds. The pain is so great that facing the facts is so distasteful that healing and reconciliation will never be reached because one or more of the persons involved cannot handle the truth, either concerning the problem or concerning the steps required to restore the relationship.

I find this to be true, whether it has to do with relationships in families or churches. The answer, the solution to the malady is available, but it is costly, distasteful, humiliating, painful. I don't know how many people, families, friendships, churches I have seen torn to shreds and driven to despair because the parties involved could not handle the truth. Hopes are dashed, affections are lost, purpose is destroyed, because people cannot handle the truth of reconciliation.

Few people will read this. Few of those who read this will realize that it applies to them. Few of those who realize the personal application of this post will accept the hard steps of restoration. Because, most people cannot handle the truth. Therefore, lives and relationships that could be redeemed, will be lost.

Jesus chose to take the hard, distasteful, painful, costly steps of reconciliation for us though He was not the cause of the breakdown. As Christians, we are called to follow Him and handle the truth, whatever the cost may be to us.