Fellowship Matters – Speaking the Truth in Love

Fellowship Matters – Speaking the Truth in Love

by Jodi Tatum

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I recently spent some time studying 2 Peter 1 and was struck by Peter’s desire to keep reminding his fellow believers of scriptural truths: “I intend to always remind you,” “To stir you up by way of reminder,” “I will make every effort . . . so that you may be able at any time to recall these things.” Peter makes it clear that he wants to spend the rest of his days on earth reminding believers of what’s true.

I recall a recent situation where a believing friend’s “reminder” completely changed my thinking and brought hope to my heart.

One of my kids was walking through a challenging, disappointing situation. I became so fixated on my child’s disappointment and pain that I lost perspective and forgot the reality that God was involved and working in this situation, that there are no accidents, and He was desiring to use the situation for His redemptive purposes. A walk around the neighborhood with my friend brought me back to the Truth. Through her prayers, I began to see beyond the disappointment and lift my gaze to “Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith, who endured the cross.” My friend reminded me that not only does He want to use this situation for good in my child and my family, but He wants to use it to draw others to Himself. God is in the business of declaring His glory and bringing many more into His Kingdom. Her Kingdom-minded prayers helped get my eyes off myself and my child and, instead, to look upward. Instead of asking, “Why, Lord”? I began to ask, “Please show my child and our family how we can be Your ambassadors as we walk through this situation.”

Did my friend share new insights that I’d never heard before? No, but I needed to hear these specific thoughts spoken in this specific situation. Had my friend only listened and sympathized, I’d have gone home with no more hope or vision than I’d started with. Our history of sharing our lives and praying together gave her a platform to speak into my life. And looking back, most of the truths she spoke that day were prayers directed to God, but I was affected! By the end of our walk, I knew once again that God was in my picture frame. He was up to something good and He can be trusted! I was then able to help my child think about the situation in a new light. I reminded my child that God is involved. I encouraged my child, “Let’s begin to pray, asking how He wants to use you/us. Let’s pray for God to move on the other people involved.”

I am grateful for my friend’s courage to “speak the truth in love” and to “make every effort to remind me of what’s true.” May the Lord help me be faithful to do the same for others.

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