Sincericide!

Sincericide is a word that combines the terms sincerity + suicide. It refers to when a person shares something that will end up killing the relationship.

In today’s world, where political correctness runs rampant, things people say can kill their careers and their future. The wrong comment, the wrong post on social media will cause an avalanche of furious replies from angry mobs that will seek to obliterate the character and reputation of the person making the original comment.  Unfortunately, the unwanted consequence of this will be that the truth could be blurred, or even ignored.

In 2 Corinthians 7 Paul commits sincericide as he says “I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways.” No false apology, no empty words here:  Paul tells the believers in Corinth that what he said had to be said.  And what he said had to be said not only because it was the truth, but also because this caused the believers at this church to repent and to change their ways so they could be faithful to God.

We shouldn’t be afraid of hearing hard truths.  Maybe if someone would have communicated the truth more forcefully to Captain Smith, the name Titanic wouldn’t have the meaning it has today. We need to be willing, like Astronaut Jim Lowell to recognize without hesitation “Houston, we have a problem!” We specially shouldn’t be afraid of hearing hard truths from God, because He wants us to live a life away from sin that will result in salvation as Paul states later in the text.

May we all live a life that honors His name.