Sometimes there's a balancing act. We're told the tongue is evil, and cannot be controlled. We're also told lying is a sin, and someone who praises something someone does that they think is wrong,would they be being a "phony", which is like lying?Like,I've heard people praise others, and in their praise I don't see it matching their actions.And I may try to "ignore" it, but if they go on and on, and I know otherwise,why be a phony and "pretend" to agree, to be "at peace" . The Bible says, "IF POSSIBLE, be at peace with all men. "But should we compromise our principles to be "tactful?"Like an example that reminded me of this , and prompted me to post this...in the book of Hebrews, we read what earns people a mention in the "Faith chapter". {focus on the words "earned it.'} But to the world,all someone has to do is die, and they automatically get "glorified". Latest, this Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She died, and now all I hear is what an "icon" she was.Wait a minute...she was an outspoken liberal and a Trump hater.That's the exact opposite of my viewpoints, So I didn't like what she stood for when alive, so now I'm supposed to join in in praising her in death?Or "pretend" I agree with her when I didn't,to "glorify" her in death?So the question becomes, when we don't care for someones actions, and hear someone else praise them to the high Heavens,should we be "phony" and join in the praise?Should we sacrifice our honesty to be tactful?Or should we be honest and say,"I 'm sorry, but I have a little different viewpoint of their actions".Honesty...or tact, at the expense of lying to be "tactful?"Huh?
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Honesty or tact?
- Thread starter Steven Bobb
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- actions honesty balancing act bible book of hebrews country: united states death different viewpoint exact opposite example expense faith chapter faith chapter focus high heavens icon little different viewpoint lying mention minute outspoken liberal peace people phony praise principles question ruth bader ginsburg sin tact tongue trump hater viewpoints words world
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Let's lift up prayers for favor at the workplace, strength, and wisdom to handle non-believers. "Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:16). Trusting God's guidance. In Jesus' Name! 
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Moriorver:
amen amen -
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Let's continue to lift up Moriorver for God's favor at work and wisdom in dealing with non-believers. "For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding" (Prov. 2:6). Trusting His guidance. In Jesus' Name!
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Let's lift up @Croyser's request for healing and @Anonymous's plea for their daughter Chloe's freedom from addiction. Also, let's pray for @Fyroynormor's 96-year-old poppop's speedy recovery. Share your prayers and support! -
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Let's lift up @LilPaul who's struggling with illness and @Tynaidell who needs support with rent. Also, let's pray for @Chreirael's marriage and @Gwenin's daughter's health. 
Jesus, we trust in You to guide and heal them.
Intercessor
Beloved of All
Definitely a balance: Jesus wasn't one to avoid telling hard truths or doing unpopular things, yet I believe He was very "tactful" -- He often healed on the Sabbath, warned people to be on guard against the love of man, deception and false prophets and called the pharisees similar titles as John The Baptist (Yet somehow I believe there was grace in His words even as He rebuked people). Woe to you if all people speak well of you, he said in Luke 6:26. You can add to the list all the true Hebrew prophets, Peter, James and John, as well as Stephen. None of these heroes of the Bible would be considered tactful. I would say we ought to have love as our primary motivation and let our speech be gracious yet seasoned with salt (Col 4:6).
Other verses say the same thing:
Mark 9:50
Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another."
Ephesians 4:29
Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that you have. But respond with gentleness and respect
Proverbs 15:7
The lips of the wise spread knowledge, But the hearts of fools are not so.
Proverbs 15:28
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
Proverbs 15:2
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, But the mouth of fools spouts folly.
Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.
Ephesians 4
11 And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ, 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head. 16 From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part.
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more.
20 But this is not the way you came to know Christ. 21 Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus— 22 to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another. 26 “Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.
29Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
Other verses say the same thing:
Mark 9:50
Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another."
Ephesians 4:29
Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that you have. But respond with gentleness and respect
Proverbs 15:7
The lips of the wise spread knowledge, But the hearts of fools are not so.
Proverbs 15:28
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
Proverbs 15:2
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, But the mouth of fools spouts folly.
Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.
Ephesians 4
11 And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ, 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head. 16 From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part.
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more.
20 But this is not the way you came to know Christ. 21 Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus— 22 to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another. 26 “Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.
29Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
Brother James
Beloved of All
Are you trying to teach us Steven? It's a shame that you don't count this as joy Steven instead of your complaining. It's a shame that you don't realize that you holding onto these pains that you experience isn't being or becoming the very thing that you hate about others, especially those of us who know how to count certain things as joy simply by being thankful of our own Salvation, thankful for what Jesus did for us.
Your like only the 3rd time I even heard about Ruth, of course you have gone on and on about her in posting your complaints about her. Thank you for teaching me her last name where I had managed to avoid learning that. It's a real Christian shame that you don't even realize that you are doing the exact same thing that you complain about the news doing.
Why do you take thought for your life Steven when it hurts you so? Why do you not count all things as joy Steven? Why do you think I'm a masochist for counting on Jesus rather than thinking about the pains that attack me?
The simple cure for what you are going through is to count it as joy as well as take no thought for yourself Steven. Do it unto Jesus, they are after all His Instructions for all of us.
Steven Bobb
Beloved of All
It's a shame that you hold a grudge against me.
Brother James
Beloved of All
Why would I say it's a shame Steven if I didn't have some kind of love for you? It's a shame you think the way that you do.
When I was a child whenever someone who loved me said shame on me, I took it to heart but you would seem to rather try to share your pain with as many others as you could. Isn't that exactly what a masochist would do?
Don't do as Jesus instructs Steven to count anything as joy, hold everything deep down inside of you and take it too the grave. Count anyone who shares with you to count anything as joy as an enemy Steven and disregard them just as you do to Jesus Himself and His Instructions.
Steven Bobb
Beloved of All
Reread that statement , the WHOLE statement,Jesus said, "Therefore rejoice when men persecute you and lyingly say all sorts of things about you for My sake.Rejoice because such is what they did to they prophets."{Meaning, when we are persecuted for beleiving the Gospel, under those circumstances...you've added it to include ALL circumstances.If we get a flat tire from a nail, and have to change the tire, when we have a tight appointment to make, what does that have to do with the verses I just read ?It's not standing up to unGodly persecution, it's just one of those stupid little things that happen in the fallen world."Count it all joy when you undergo various trails." Trails, but losing your keys , accidently touching a thorn bush,or hearing the media repeat over and over again about someone or something you don't agree with, that's not a trail, that's again, some dumb thing."Take no thought for your life," like being clothed and fed, because God with take care of you."One sparrow does not fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.Are you not worth more than many sparrows?"Take no thought was explained as not worrying about things. Admitting that you don't like certain situations, or are dissatisfied because it didn't go your way, that's how you interpreted it....If you're taking sayings that were meant for certain circumstances, and apply them to things not specifically stated for, remember about adding and and taking away from the Word.Jesus said, "Count it all joy when men persecute you and lying say all kinds of things against you for My sake."I didn't read where He said, "Count it all joy when the media repeats about Ruth Bader Ginsberg over and over" I know what you quote is in the Bible, where we disagree is where it applies.
Brother James
Beloved of All
I don't think that you really know much about anything Steven yet here you are trying to teach. Now you are taking away from the proper meaning of taking no thought for ourselves to only include what you desire. Are you rejoicing in what Jesus did for you Steven?
You placed a blog without repenting of your desire to believe that anyone who learns to count it all as joy is a masochist in your eyes so here I am doing what I said I would do for you.
If you don't stop posting blogs for you to try and teach without repentance then I will let everyone know how you really think about counting all as joy when you post on the prayer section as well my friend.
Steven Bobb
Beloved of All
Yet this guy denies that he singles me out, as he's quiet as a mouse with others...
Steven Bobb
Beloved of All
P.S. -Christmas coming up in a few months, if Brother James gives me his shirt size and mailing address, I will be happy to send him a shirt with the words printed on,"Steven Bobb is my favorite scapegoat"..
Brother James
Beloved of All
It's a shame that you think about your life Steven and that you would make up lies about me. Do you really think that I only share with you? There is ONE who defends me Steven for I am the Righteousness of God in Christ and He will defend me.
Have you read Matthew 7? In verse 26. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Are you a wise follower of Jesus doing His sayings, His teachings, His Instructions or are you a foolish man who makes light of His Instructions and calls His beloved children names for following His Instructions?
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