God says yes.
The one that keeps coming up as my husband and I parent our children is the relationship between grace and truth. When we hear that our child has done something he shouldn’t have done, we might respond, “How could you! You know better!” Alone, that response does not extend enough grace. On the other hand, sometimes we make excuses. “That teacher needs to spend more time explaining how to do the problems; it wasn’t your fault that you didn’t get a good grade on that test.” Whoops—not enough truth.
As Christians, we are called to be Christlike. So how did Christ manage grace and truth? “We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
Randy Alcorn, in The Grace and Truth Paradox, tells us that Christ was not 50 percent grace and 50 percent truth, but 100 percent grace and 100 percent truth. How is this possible? Well, because He is God. We are the ones that have the problem showing both at the same time. Jesus went from making wine for people so they wouldn’t be embarrassed in front of their friends to literally taking a whip to people who were selling things in His Father’s house. He was full of grace and truth.
Being a teacher provides many opportunities to wrestle with the tug between truth and grace. When a student fails to turn in their homework day after day, do we give grace and just let it go as a gesture of love? If so, the student will never learn to be responsible. Or, do we give a firm dose of truth with a zero on the assignment? Is there a way to do both? How does God treat us when we fail Him?
God both holds us accountable for our sins, and forgives us completely for them. Truth shows us what is expected, and ultimately shows us that we alone have no hope of fulfilling God’s standard. Grace shows us that we do have hope. God loves us so much that He fulfilled His own standard for us.
Following God’s example, how do we show both grace and truth to our children? By loving them enough tell them the bad news: they are sinners (like we are), they are wrong when they sin, and sin has consequences. But we get to tell them the good news too: you are deeply loved and completely forgiven, and as your parent (or teacher) I promise to stand by your side to help you do better.
Jennifer Cable
Elementary Principal