An excerpt from Graciousness: Tempering Truth with Love by John Crotts.
Sometimes we have some important things to say to our Christian brothers and sisters, but the way we say it directly affects the way they receive our message. Sharing your message with harshness, a critical spirit, a condescending attitude, anger, or even a scowl is like communicating wonderful things with terribly bad breath. The person you are talking to could completely miss out on the benefits of your message simply because of the way you deliver it.
God cares about more than just the words you say. He also cares about how you say those words. It is not enough always to say the truth; you must also say the truth in love. The Lord Jesus Christ provides the greatest model of a per- son with zeal both to know and to apply the truth of God. Although He knew the truth better than anyone who ever lived, He was never guilty of selfishly showing of His understanding of the Scriptures. While He used the Word of God to correct and admonish others who needed it, His necessary corrections came accompanied with virtues such as love, gentleness, and kindness. These virtues can be summarized as graciousness. The apostle John describes Jesus as “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). For zealous Christians to faithfully follow their Lord, they must pursue God’s truth in their minds and practice, but they must also intentionally cultivate graciousness in their hearts and lives.
Graciousness: Tempering Truth with Love by John Crotts.