Brutal Honesty.

Sometimes. 
I don't think that we as believers take this verse seriously at. all.


Hebrews 3:13

"But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."e

Exhort means to:

strongly encourage or urge someone to do something.

Interesting, right?

This verse says that sin is deceitful.

As much as we know that, do you think that you really think everything through with this verse in mind?

because I don't.

At least I haven't been as consistent as I should be.

So what exactly is this verse talking about?

It's telling us that we need to STRONGLY encourage someone to do...something.

And we need to do it  - daily!

If it's something we need to do every day.

And it's something that we need to be strongly encouraging...

Don't you think we ought to know what it is?

So let's figure it out.

In what ways could I be being hardened by sins deceitfulness?
I mean...if I want to feel all warm and fuzzy inside, I will say that the things I am doing wrong are really not all that bad.
I mean..I haven't killed anyone.
Haven't cheated on my husband.
Haven't beat my kids.

Phew! Home free, right?
Wrong.

The Bible says that the thought of foolishness is sin.

dang it all.
I am pretty sure I think foolish things alot.

(ex) I could just throw that person through a wall! haha!

Anyways. My point is this.
Be an exhorter.
Show some brutal honesty.

Of course it should go without saying that this needs to be done in love. Always.
Not to just make me feel like I'm better, but genuinely because we want people to be living a full and joyful life!

I have definitely had people take it the wrong way and even use my words against me when I chose to exhort.
I have also had people thank me for it.

But...the thing is, while God does give us freedom to make a lot of decisions on our own, there are some things that He simply tells us to do.

Exhorting each other every day, with the goal being to keep them from going down the wrong path...
not a choice.

So it doesn't matter how someone takes it.

We are called to be obedient. 
That's it.

I will continue to be brutally honest with people, because I think that there are way way too many people in the world today who are excusing every single thing we do.
Giving us someone else to blame.
Giving us a reason that we should be against God, against the church, against people!

So the next time you see me being negative, or critical, or complaining...
go ahead.
I double dog dare ya.

Exhort me!
Be brutally honest with me!
I can take it.