Day 6

 

The Truth of Who We Are and the Grace to Change



John 1:17 "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."

He avoided looking into the mirror. He didn't like what he saw. An unexpected divorce with a lost ministry. At one time in his life, he compelled respect. He stood upright with a message that resonated with the hardest hearts. When he spoke, crowds responded. He preached for years as a sought-out speaker. But now, he couldn't even look at himself in the mirror. All he saw was a disgraced has-been. 

The image of himself removed the grace of God from his thoughts. Only the truth, at least the truth as he saw in the mirror, kept him focused on what was and what could have been.

That man in the mirror was me. There were many times I did not like what I saw in the mirror. I couldn’t see what still could be because all I could see was what was. I could not see grace because the truth constantly turned my attention to what I lost.

A self-deflating truth without grace always left me staring into a mirror not liking what I saw. Truth without grace always left me in self-condemnation.

But then years ago I often took pride in what I saw. The churches loved me. The crowds were spell-bound. I thought, “God is really blessing what I am doing.” It was in those moments when I saw myself with a distorted image of grace and without the real truth. I interpreted those moments with self-reliance and self-righteousness.

Jesus came as the perfect balance between grace and truth. He knows the worst about us, but by grace he helps us see our mess as the very reason we need Him. Grace and truth led Him to the ones no one else would regard. Because of truth, the worst of the worst was His audience. Because of grace, the worst of the worst found hope and healing.

Jesus helps us see ourselves the way He sees us. There are all kinds of reasons why He should not give us the time of day. But grace and truth always help us see the truth of who we are with the hope of what only Jesus can do about it. Live today fully aware of what you see in the mirror but through the eyes of the One who is changing what you cannot change.  

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for knowing the worst about me but never leaving me in my worst. You took me in as is condition, and today I admit I see a lot of things about me I still do not like. But I know what I see about me today will change in time. May I not see myself as I once was. Help me see myself as you see me. And Lord, no matter who I meet today, help me respond to others with the same grace you give me. Amen.

Click this link to find out more about the influence of grace from my new book "Living Under the Influence: How Grace Sets Us Free from the Performance Mindset." Click this link to visit my author's website.

 

 

 


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