Verse: Ephesians 4:14-16 (ESV)
14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by cratiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Devotion
One of the many great joys of fatherhood is being able to say something outlandish to your kids and pretend, even for a short time, that it’s true. Last night at dinner, we were discussing what things might be found in an aquarium. When our six-year-old, Kenzie, said “jellyfish”, I followed it up with “peanutbutterfish”. Her and her little brother’s eyes got wide for a moment, until I said “they’re delicious together on a sandwich”. She gave me a big smile and said “Daaaadyyy”, her customary indication that she has seen through my ruse. She’s quickly becoming less and less susceptible to my “human cunning” and “deceitful schemes”.

Paul’s hope here is that, like my kids, the Ephesians (and all of us as Christians) are beginning to learn from our past experiences and, combined with our growth in knowledge and maturity, are becoming resistant to those ideas, people, forces that would lead us astray.

Paul continues on in verses 15-16 by contrasting the immaturity that leads to being deceived with growth in Christ, which is only possible “when each part is working properly”. The parts here of course being the parts of the body of Christ, represented by the church (us). In order for the parts to each work properly, all the parts need to be caring for each other, so that the body “builds itself up in love”.

But let’s look back at the beginning of verse 15, to a phrase that I think may be as instrumental to our faith as just about any in the Bible, “speaking the truth in love”. I have always preferred to view this concept as a spectrum. One end is “all truth, no love” (legalism), while the other is “all ‘love’, no truth” (secularism). I put love in quotes here because I feel strongly that the divide between the church and the world is largely based on the world’s misunderstanding of the word, and the church’s inability to effectively translate it for them. But that’s a conversation for another time. For now, let’s realize that God wants us to see the two as inseparable. If love is absent, then you can’t possibly be sharing the whole truth of who God is. And without truth, you’re not really exploring the depths of his love for us.

Its location at the beginning of verse 15 indicates that Paul views the ability to “speak the truth in love” as a sign of spiritual maturity. “Rather” than being deceived like children, here is what you should strive for, he’s telling us. I’ll be the first to admit, it’s a level of maturity I’ve certainly not attained. And I’d venture to say that each of us, at one time or another, has found ourselves mostly ignoring one half or the other of that phrase. But like any skill developed over time, it’s only going to come with practice. So let’s keep sharing the truth. And let’s keep loving people. And eventually, let’s learn to do it at the same time.

Prayer
God, please help me to never water down the truth of your Word. But also help me to deliver it with a love that reflects your nature and makes those around me desire to seek after you. Amen.

Author: 
Dave MacDonald