I was just asked, “How do you get people to believe that you have no problem with them and that you really do love them even though there is (something) that keeps them out of your space or out of your life at the moment?”
My answer was surprising to me as well as the one who asked. I surprisingly said, “I’ve had the same question.” I said it’s hard to tell people that you don’t have a problem with them when they think you do? I said that it is hard to get an audience with people to make peace and move on in the things of God when they feel like you really have some issue with them as if by telling them the truth you don’t want them to succeed.
I said to them that there are those who feel like you’re throwing shade at them when anything you say publicly sounds like them. Then God showed me something really insightful. SHADE CAN ONLY BE DETECTED IN THE PRESENCE OF LIGHT OR TRUTH. Truth makes shade a reality.
I’m sure many of you have had to deal with distant folk who think you have a problem with them and all you want to do is love them and tell them the truth. But of course truth is interpreted as shade.
Hope this helps. There is enough work to be done for the kingdom for everybody to stay busy and out of folks’ business until Jesus returns. So, get over it and love everybody you know and come in contact with. That’s how people will know we’re of God.
—Vaughn McLaughlin
