Perfect Balance

“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, Who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14 (NIV)

Have you noticed there are two types of churches today?

Some specialize in making people feel condemned—they stomp on feet and tell you everything they're against. Others will do anything to make people comfortable, believing the 11th Commandment is "Thou shalt not offend anyone." There's something wrong with a church that offends everyone, but there's also something wrong with a church that offends no one.

Jesus struck the perfect balance. John tells us He came "full of grace and truth." This wasn't accidental, it was intentional. Jesus never showed grace at the expense of truth, and He never told truth at the expense of grace. He was always graciously truthful.

Did you ever wonder how Jesus drew people to Him from all walks of life? Tax collectors and Pharisees, prostitutes and religious leaders—they all wanted to meet this man who spoke truth wrapped in love.

We tend to lean one way or the other. Some of us are all truth, no grace—we're right, but we're harsh. Others are all grace, no truth—we're kind, but we're not helpful. Ask God's Spirit to help you walk in both. Your family needs this balance. Your workplace needs this balance. Your community needs someone who can speak truth in love.

Prayer: God, help me walk in the balance of grace and truth. Season my words with love while grounding them in Your truth. In Jesus' name, amen.