Proverbs 24:26 Be honest

An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips

Honesty is the loving way, the right thing to do. Paul calls it speaking the truth in love. If a preacher fails here, he fails entirely. We must tell it like it is. That does not mean being insensitive but it does mean preaching sin and death and hell in biblical proportion. It may not be the way to universal popularity but it is the loving way. Horatius Bonar quotes Rowland Hill. in his Words to winners of souls, "Rash preaching disgusts; timid preaching leaves poor souls fast asleep; bold preaching is the only preaching that is owned of God."

Philip Jensen preaching on the need for boldness has said

We are still in spiritual need of prayer, to preach the gospel fearlessly with boldness. The same fears of shame and persecution, of put-down and ridicule, are there in me and in you as they were in the apostle in chains. So we need to pray for one another - and I need you to pray for me - that we may speak the mystery of the gospel fearlessly as we ought.

The same attitude should be in all preachers. 

Proverbs 24:11, 12 Rescue; hold back

Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?

If you are a gospel preacher then you are something like a lifeguard rescuing people from the sea, a firefighter saving them from a burning building or a secret serviceman charged with protecting the president who is under fire. You are involved in a vital rescue mission. The people before you, unless they are converted, are those being led away to death the death of hell. They must be rescued. Your work is to hold back those staggering toward slaughter. Of course, for the preacher to say “But we knew nothing about this,” and pretend ignorance will not do. God who weighs the heart will perceive it if you make such a false claim. The one who guards your life, he knows the truth. The fact is that God will repay everyone according to what they have done and so the work of rescue, the work of holding back is vital. Those who preach faithfully want to turn sinners away from sin and see them saved. Peter Jeffery has written that "The task of the gospel preacher is the salvation of souls, and he should be satisfied with nothing less." He is right. We must be desperate to see sinners saved.