LEADING WITH GRACE

          I’m thankful that our fellowship sees the importance of teaching truth.  Whether it be from the pulpit or a lawn chair, proclaiming truth is a priority.  While truth is vitally important, so is the way we present truth.  In John’s gospel we read:  The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth (Jn.1:14).  HERE WE SEE JESUS LEADING WITH GRACE.  The apostle Paul appears to underscore this approach when he writes, Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how to respond to each person (Col.4:6).  Some of us need to bone up on the truth.  And most all of us could stand to refine our skills in the presentation of truth.  Many of us have failed quite badly at speaking with grace.  Some have taken an in-your-face, letting-others-have-it-with-both-barrels approach that is seldom effective and often causes us to come across as arrogant know-it-alls. Our goal is to turn others on to the gospel, not to turn them off.  Jesus sent out His apostles imploring them to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves (Mt.10:16).  Serpents have keen vision and are generally easy-going.  As sheep among wolves, our Lord was directing His disciples not to go out looking to pick a fight, but to be savvy and smart.  Likewise, Paul urges:  BE WISE IN THE WAY YOU ACT TOWARD OUTSIDERS; make the most of every opportunity (Col.4:5/NIV).

          In sharing the gospel with others in whatever arena of life, there is simply no place for harshness or rudeness.  Being abrasive and belligerent is not a good way to win friends and seldom ever works in trying to win souls.  In the work of evangelism there is no place for inflammatory or ac-cusatory words.  Instead of being combative and caustic, let us aim to be charitable and considerate.  In the proclamation of truth, tact and diplo-macy are critical ingredients, as is love (Eph.4:15).  Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances (Prov.25:11).  Al-

though Paul’s spirit was provoked within him as he was beholding a city full of idols, when he spoke at the Areopagus in Athens, his  speech began  with a compliment:  I observe that you are very religious in all respects (Acts 17:16 & 22).  This Pauline strategy is certainly worthy of our imitation! 

                                                                                                                                Terry Siverd / Cortland Church of Christ