Friday, July 3, 2026
Bible in a Year: Proverbs 16 | Luke 3
Characteristics of God: He is the source of truth.
When I think about the many facets of God’s character, it’s hard not to think about love.
1 John 4:8 (NIV)
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Know God = Know Love. And No God = No Love
Well, that pretty much says it all - or does it?
When we take a closer look, it appears God’s love does not always align with how our human notions define it. We often reference 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 to characterize God’s love: it is patient and kind, not arrogant, rude, irritable, or resentful.
That seems like very pragmatic, loving behavior, until we see tucked in the middle of these verses: love rejoices in the truth.
I once heard, “A little truth goes a long way.” I think we’ve all heard some hard truths that didn’t go down easily. But sometimes, hearing and sharing those hard truths helps shape us into loving Christians who exude the qualities referenced in Corinthians.
It is easy to get caught up in love that withholds truth, sometimes referred to as “hippie love” or “feel-good love.” But this love is superficial. It feels good for a while but is never life-changing. On the other hand, truth delivered without love is never well received and can be damaging to our relationships.
So how do we balance love and truth with our spouses, friends, and neighbors? It might be as simple as asking an eye-opening question. Or, maybe doing some (a lot of) listening before sharing “the solution.”
As always, Jesus is our best model, because God’s character is defined by his truth, and sharing that truth is essential to real love.
In Luke 18:9-17, Jesus confronts religious leaders and even rebukes his own disciples to pave the way to truth.
Seems the greatest life-changing love and blessings we will ever receive - or give - begin with hard truth. And who knows, maybe they will thank us.
Proverbs 1:25-26 and Proverbs 19:20 suggest life-changing results when deciding to accept or reject truth.
Let’s love enough to share the truth. God himself is the ultimate source of truth, and as his followers, we are called not only to embrace his truth but also to boldly and lovingly share it with those around us. Walking in both love and truth means we reflect God’s heart - offering grace, compassion, and honesty in every relationship.
Questions:
When are you most likely to provide love without truth?
When are you most likely to provide truth without love?
Next Steps:
Challenge yourself to speak truth to others in your life, even when it’s difficult, remembering that God is the ultimate source of truth.
Practice honesty, speaking God’s truth in your close relationships. Listen well, and learn from others' perspectives before demanding that they change. It can be as simple as asking questions and paying attention to their response without thinking up an argument.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, you are all-powerful, all-wise, and yet, all-loving. Thank you for a love that never withholds truth. It is a love I can barely comprehend. Help me to let go of my desire to withhold truth from those whom I love and to love those with whom I provide truth. Fill me with your guiding spirit and heavenly wisdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Series Theme Verse:
Jeremiah 9:23-24a
This is what the Lord says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord….”
Written by Nick Thomas, a Findlay attendee and regular contributor to the Daily.