Live the Truth - Toni M. Babcock
You may have heard the argument, “It doesn’t matter how unloving or out of character the messenger of truth is – your duty is to submit to the truth no matter what.” In other words, even if the messenger isn’t living up to the same standard of truth they’re seeking to hold over you in judgment, your duty is to submit. I doubt if this approach wins many converts.
While it is true we answer to God alone, and He is free to choose whoever he wants to point out our discrepancies in faith or practice, this in no way leaves the “harbinger of judgment” off the hook. Yes, we are to submit to God always (and He alone gives us the power to do it) — but may I point out, Jesus has a word against being judgmental too.
Christ taught “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use. Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a beam of wood in your own eye? Hypocrite! First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye,” (Matthew 7:1-5 CSB).
It’s not that we can’t correct or instruct the faltering one with the goal of submitting to truth, but we need to be clear-eyed about it and live the truth, too.
Toni M. Babcock is author of Reflections from the Heart and The Stone Writer. Contact | 
