Originally posted Apri 19, 2012
continued... So to be a better parent of Grace and Truth requires two pretty big efforts:
1 – Know and articulate Truth
2 – Give and articulate Grace
We can’t apply the Truth if we don’t know it. Truth requires study and diligence. And we can’t just have Grace, we have to give it. Both require effort. They are not natural. We are not born with truth and grace… that was Jesus John was talking about. Not us. We have to practice. We have to try. We have to DO.
Philippians 4:8-9 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.
That’s Grace – the pure and lovely. Excellent. Praiseworthy. I love – in the Christian way J – Joel Osteen. I love messages of love and encouragement and strength. Of God’s goodness. Triumph of good over evil. Who doesn’t need that!? Joel is a deliverer of good news above all else. LOVE it. Sick > health. Broke > rich. Sad > glad. Hurting > whole. Always good news. He never says – are you rich? Be careful. Hoard your resources. A famine is coming… Never. He wrote the book on “Grace-based Preaching” J (not really).
Just this morning Joel’s devotion was “Don’t be discouraged by what you can see, be encouraged by what you can’t see! Put your shoulders back and go out with faith and confidence knowing that His gracious hand is upon you!”
And I love it. NEED it. Every day I need a word of encouragement. Every day, Joel brings it. He is consistent. He is dependable. And he is right. My God is a God of grace and He applies it and practices it and gives it every minute of every day. His gracious hand is on me! Yea me! Yea God!
Every day my kids need that word of encouragement. Don't be discouraged. Put your shoulders back. Go with faith and confidence! But what about Truth?
Ohhhh it’s here alright. That unfortunately is the easy part :-( There is responsibility in the world. There is pain in the world. There are consequences. It’s not all "yea me!". There are thorns. Big, ugly, painful thorns.
God is Truth. And Jesus came full of truth. The truth is that life sucks sometimes. People do stupid things. And if that’s not bad enough, stupid things just randomly happen. Floods. Famine. Failure.
And every day my kids need that word of truth - reality. Clean your room. Do your homework. Be nice. Shut up. (too much reality?)
But a world full of truth is too harsh but a world full of grace is, well, too easy.
And my God is neither too harsh nor too easy.
My God is both truth and grace.
My Savior is FULL of Grace AND Truth.
And I want to a parent of Grace and Truth…
and with God's Grace and Truth, I can J
We can't afford to lose Truth, sin always has a 'gotcha'. We can't let go of Grace, it's our only way out. The church (parent!) is at it's best when it embraces both Grace and Truth, and refuses to let go. ~ Andy Stanley Amen!