When we speak the truth in love many times our words will run contrary to a prepared social or religious narrative. The truth will sound discordant when spoken in the middle of an unquestioning and compliant crowd. That discordant sound was made by Old Testament prophets. It was heard from John the Baptist, the early disciples, and each believer down through history who made a difference in God’s Kingdom. Most importantly, it was heard in the voice of Jesus when He failed to bow His knee to the religious and political spirits of His day. 

Compliance is of great value when we are directed by the Spirit. It becomes a diversion into a dark place when we choose to live out our faith in unquestioned compliance with every demand for our obedience. Loving our neighbor as ourselves is not a naive carte blanche submission to everything that comes down the pike. Our response requires Spirit-directed research and wisdom. After the facts of a matter come to the surface loving our neighbor as ourselves can become a refusal to submit to those things that will eventually harm the very people we are commanded to love.

In the coming days, what many have been told is for their own good and the good of the larger society will prove to have been well-crafted diversions granting those who demanded our compliance the ability to gain greater power and wealth at the expense of innocent people. When those things finally come into the full light of exposure, the Church must be courageous and willing to speak the truth in love no matter what cost or risk is attached to the sound of our voice.