Equal Parts Grace and Truth

 

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. (John 1:14-18 ESV).

 

There are some who are primarily what we might call “truth people.” They tend to draw firm lines between right and wrong, and they feel that they have a responsibility to speak up when something doesn’t sound right. There are those times when God can use this directness to identify sin and injustice, urging people to bring about change. However, sometimes it hurts relationships because they can focus on the negative and be judgmental, pushing people away. There are also some people who may be identified as “grace people.” They gravitate toward the idea of God’s love and forgiveness, and they don’t like making a scene or creating conflict. Instead, they try to forgive others and move on. This too can be a gift because God can use them to bring harmony into tough situations. But they need to be careful not to ignore serious hurts and problems that should be addressed. The example of Jesus would teach us to balance grace and truth in our relationships with others.

 

In the Bible we learn what God is like in the life and teaching of Jesus. And we see how Jesus brings the practices of grace and truth together. Jesus is infinitely compassionate, willing to forgive all who place their faith in him. At the same time, he is not afraid to speak a hard word of truth to bring someone deeper into faith. We will examine some of these examples in the coming days.

 

At this time in your life, what do you need from God? Grace? Encouragement? Forgiveness? A word of truth to set you in the right direction? Whatever your need, there is one unfailing source that is full of both truth and grace. The Scripture is our only perfect source. Turn to the truth and encouragement you will find there.