There's a verse in 2 Timothy 4 that describes how people will have itching ears and then find teaching that suits themselves, rather than seeking out the truth.
It's not always easy to hear the truth -- often, we'd prefer to hear what will make us happy, even if this easier message isn't always true. Much of advertising these days is trying to figure out what people want to hear and combining this with a message of persuasion. We like to hear what we like to hear!
The great thing about the Gospel truth is that while it's hard news, it's always good news. It tells us that we are sinful, that we are worse than we think, and yet we are more loved than we think as well. While we are sinful, we have a bold hope that is rooted in Christ. We are lost, yet we are found. We are sinful, yet we are redeemed.
It's a hard message to hear, yet it's a wondrous message to hear as well, assuming we're willing to tolerate the hard message. If we turn away when we talk about sin, we miss the message of grace.
It's a hard balance for the church to strike, but also entails people willing to hear, willing to be honest, willing to be broken to discover true healing.
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