Words of Life: An Enduring Legacyනියැදිය

Legacy of life: seeing everything.

Imagine a friendship in which your companion was always brutally honest. Every time you did something they didn’t like, they told you straight and truthfully. Every flaw, habit, or opinion was expressed without filter and delivered without grace. Exhausting, right? Now, picture a friendship so full of grace that truth is withheld to protect your feelings. Every word is pleasant, every response crafted to keep you comfortable. It would feel insincere and phony. Grace without truth is sentimental. Truth without grace is brutal. But in Jesus, we find both – love that tells the truth and truth that loves completely. Theologian and former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams puts it this way: ‘Truth makes love possible; love makes truth bearable.’

This balance is at the heart of John’s Gospel. In the prologue, John paints a picture of who Jesus is, and he does so with big brushes. The Word – the timeless, pre-eminent Christ, the one through whom absolutely everything was made – puts on the frailty of a flesh-and-blood body and steps down to live among humans. He’s full of so much, some of which people might consider to be paradoxical: grace and truth for starters.

We need to try to see the whole picture of who Jesus is. He’s full of truth – telling us the reality about who and what we are – and he’s full of grace – letting us know that we’re loved as we are. He’s a king who rules over everything with power and authority, and he’s our friend who intimately cares for us. He’s the judge who executes perfect justice, and he’s the Redeemer who pronounces forgiveness. We need to see the fullness of Christ’s identity and then follow his example – speaking truth with love and extending grace with honesty. After all, real love doesn’t shy away from truth, and real truth is always wrapped in love.

How have I experienced Jesus’ truth and grace in my life?