Pointing Fingers versus Speaking the Truth in Love

I'm a little afraid to write this post.  I'm afraid because I don't want to offend.  I don't want anyone to make assumptions about how I feel about them or jump down my throat if we are in disagreement.  I am hoping if we have a disagreement, we can have a civil conversation.  So, feel free to comment, but keep it civil please,

I want to talk about Matthew 7:1 again.  "Do not judge, so that you won't be judged."  That is a dangerous verse to stand alone.  I still stand by my previous blog post about this verse, God is the ultimate judge and we are to love.  See http://angel-searchingforthetruth.blogspot.com/2014/01/god-is-judge-not-you.html.

As I do further study and research, I feel I'm gaining a different understanding of the interpretation of this verse.   Matthew continues on saying, "For with the judgement you use, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but don't notice the log in your own eye?"  Romans 2:1-3 warns that we should not judge others for things we do ourselves.  We should look at ourselves first and focus on our own behaviors.  We are not to spend our time judging others when we are not following the truth ourselves.  We should spend more time and energy searching for the truth and learning how to apply it to our own lives than constantly judging others.  

However, I believe we have a responsibility to "speak the truth in love."  It is not one bit loving to learn the truth and keep it to ourselves.  It is not loving to know that another person is sinning and not share your concern.  It is not loving to even silently agree that there are many paths to Heaven.  John 14:6 states, "Jesus said, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.'"  That seems pretty clear to me.  There is ONE way, Jesus is the ONLY WAY.

But we must speak the truth in love.  Yelling, screaming, and pointing fingers is not the way.  People tend to close their ears when they feel attacked.  Attacking someone verbally is not what we are to do.  We should love and help them and be there for them as both of us struggle during our search for truth.  Let's focus on finding the truth together and holding each other accountable along the way.