Grace and Truth

[The Midweek Encounter is a ministry of Encounter Church in Kentwood, MI. These posts are a reflection on Sunday's message, which can be heard here each week: http://www.myencounterchurch.org/#/messages-media]

Christians who represent Christ poorly sure are easy to find, aren't they? I've seen the fruits of their labors all over: in church social circles that are closed off and cliquey, in political Facebook posts, in signs held on street corners. I don't know how you feel when you see these mishandlings of God's reputation, but I often feel embarrassed and hope that no one one associates me personally with such sentiments.

But of course the mishandling of God's reputation happens in my life every day, too. A snide comment about a co-worker makes everyone in the break room uncomfortable. An old college friend sees me snap at my kids and decides not to say a quick “hi” this time. I come in late to church looking frazzled rather than welcoming.

These are times to respond with grace. And truth. And that combination of grace and truth is much more difficult to execute than it might seem.

There was a time back in college my when my social life was, maybe, an 11/10 but my academic life was hovering around, oh, a 2/10. I was enrolled at Calvin College on a Presidential Scholarship, and the scholarship was renewable for four years as long as I maintained a certain GPA. Which, given my social life, obviously did not happen. When my scholarship was revoked after my freshman year, I was called before a committee to explain any extenuating circumstances and to petition for the reinstatement of the award. I told the committee that I had a lovely time participating in dorm activities and that I enjoyed early morning (5:30!) rowing sessions on the Grand River as part of the crew team and that I was in off-season training for lacrosse. I didn't mention that I was also dating a handsome young man who would eventually became my husband, but I did manage to let the committee know that I didn't find all of my courses entirely...useful...or interesting.

The committee had two choices, obviously:

1. Banish me from Calvin forever for being an ignorant, ungrateful, spoiled, entitled youth; or

2. Kindly explain to me what a privilege it was to take philosophy from the Greatest Philosophy Department of the Western Academic World.

Obviously, my scholarship was not reinstated, but I think that's part of the lesson grace and truth. I needed to hear a word about taking my studies seriously, and I definitely needed to be reminded that my tenure at Calvin was made possible through God's grace (and now my four part-time jobs) and that I ought to respond properly with gratitude rather an excuses.

Over the years I have had many opportunities to speak grace and truth into another's life, and sometimes I have done that well, and often I have done that poorly. And when people have offered me a gentle correction, I have sometimes accepted the words well, and often accepted them poorly. But Christ calls us to this, so we must do it. We must offer the truth in grace, and learn to receive it as well. 

[Kristin vanEyk lives and writes in Kentwood, MI where she attends Encounter Church.]