The Ugly Truth

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
John 14:6 (NIV)

You finally worked up the courage to visit a church, hoping to find answers for your searching heart. But the moment you walk through the doors, you feel people staring at you. You don’t feel quite right. Your past isn’t really clean. The message you hear sounds more like condemnation than invitation.

You've just encountered the ugly truth—religion without relationship.

Jesus faced this same problem in His day. The religious leaders were obsessed with rules and regulations. They had lists of dos and don'ts that made ordinary people feel unwelcome and unworthy. When they spoke truth, it became a weapon instead of a welcome.

But Jesus declares Himself "the truth" in a completely different way. He eats with tax collectors and sinners. He touches lepers and talks with prostitutes. His truth doesn't drive people away, it draws them in.

When Jesus speaks truth, it leads people toward the Father, not away from Him. His truth isn't a set of rules to follow but a Person to know.

You can share the truth the way Jesus does. When you encounter someone who feels far from God, let your words and actions point them toward Jesus, not toward a list of behaviors to change. Focus on introducing them to the Person who transforms hearts, not the rules that transform behavior.

You don’t have to share truth with judgment; that only creates walls. Instead, let His truth in love become an invitation to those around you.

Prayer: Father, thank You for inviting us to come close to You, without judgment. Help me share Your truth in ways that draw people to Jesus, not drive them away. Let my life reflect Your love, not a set of behaviors or rules. In Jesus' Name, Amen.