Nice Isn’t Better Than Honest

One of the great dilemmas for people who are finding fellowship in more relational settings is what to do about those who haven’t learned how to prefer one another in the conversation. Instead of flowing with it they seek to co-opt it to advance their own agenda or try to force others into agreeing with them. At other times it seems people’s unresolved pain expresses itself in abusive treatment of others. Part of the reason people prefer institutions is to have ‘leaders’ who can make the rules and police them to protect others. Without that safeguard, however, the body will need to learn how to speak truth lovingly so that we can all grow up in him, rather than scattering into our own isolated journeys.