Soul Care - Grace & Truth

by Mary Elsbury

How do you view things? In my past career as a social worker, I admittedly held a very biased view of circumstances. So many of the clients I saw on a regular basis were looking for a quick absolution of wrongs and had an excuse for every possible situation. I tended to see things as black or white, with little room for grace. Grace is hard to extend when the person you are dealing with refuses to take responsibility for their actions. You know that in the long run, they will be better off, but they can’t see it in the here and now. 

Scripture tells us “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 1:14). 

Jesus came and made His home among us. But what was Jesus like? The Bible tells us that He was full of grace and truth. He wasn’t half-and-half; He was 100 percent grace and 100 percent truth. As we model our Savior, that quality can be difficult to reproduce in our own lives. The Gospels often show Jesus extending grace to sinners and having compassion for them. 

Many people want to only claim grace, without truth. Those people are pleasant, easy going, accepting of others. But without truth, grace people have trouble making tough decisions and can be cowardly. Conversely, truth people see right and wrong, speak out against injustice, and have specific principles. But without grace, they can be considered harsh and unfeeling. 

Jesus was both - full of grace and truth - at the same time. He had grace for the sick, welcomed tax collectors to dine at His table, and cared for the least of these. Extending truth in love, He condemned many religious leaders for being liars and hypocrites.  He talked about hell more than heaven. He obeyed the law and demanded everything from his followers, even their very lives. Many times, I’ve been tempted to tone down the truth of God’s Word on certain issues because it seems unkind to boldly speak a countercultural message. As Christ-followers, we are called to live and speak unpopular opinions. 

The concept of living out truth and grace is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. The motivation to be full of grace and truth is not because we need to earn God’s unmerited favor, but because being a follower of Christ means we look like the one we follow. When we confess sin, He will fill us with grace and truth. When we encounter a fellow sinner, we can also invite them to experience God’s amazing grace. As we live by truth and speak it boldly, we can show others the grace that has transformed our lives and can transform theirs. 

We need grace in our lives. We need to know that God doesn’t expect us to clean up our act before we come to him. He begs us to come, just as we are - in brokenness, pain, humility, repentance, and faith. We need truth in our lives. We need someone as loving as Jesus to tell us the truth, even when it’s hard to hear. 

I encourage you to take another look at the people around you. Are you extending grace to only those that are easy to get along with? Are you speaking the truth in love with tough decisions that need to be made? 

I’m thankful for my years spent counseling the hurting, stubborn, crushed, and know-it-alls. I have seen that circumstances which may have appeared black and white at first, have some subtle grey sides that are revealed by prayer and discernment. I’ve seen remarkable transformations in lives as a result of the grace and truth found in Jesus. I’m thankful that God extended His grace to me, a sinner.  

We need truth. We need grace. We need Jesus.