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

The suffix ian means belonging to, coming from, resembling, adhering to or following, and expert in.  It can be used to form a noun or an adjective.  Add that to the word Christ and you get Christian, someone who belongs to the Christ, coming from the Christ, resembling the Christ, or adheres to the Christ.

That means like John 1:17 I should have Grace and Truth coming from me. If it comes from Jesus it should also come from me because I have Christ in me, and I am suppose to resemble Him.  If you travel abroad you will hear people talk about the American attitude.  We are loud, and proud, and have a sense of entitlement.  Before you can do anything people expect that from you.  It should be the same way with different traits of Jesus.  Do people, when they find out I am a Christian expect to have Grace and Truth come from me, and regardless of that answer do I show Grace and Truth?

To be honest yes…..sometimes.  Sometimes I am a little more Truth, and sometimes I am a little more Grace (not always in the proper ratio).  Both are great and very important but there is something about the proper mixture of Grace and Truth that makes it fantastic.  It is not baking a cake where you always use equal parts of each and you can do it without thinking.  Having Grace and Truth flow from you means thinking in each situation.  Sometimes you need a lot of Truth and enough Grace to show the love of God, but sometimes you need only a little Truth to confirm something and so much Grace that people are overwhelmed by God’s great love.

I want to be known for having Grace and Truth.  If someone says “Hey do you know Mike?” I want them to think “Grace and Truth.”  I figure if I have Christ living in me, and I am in Christ, and I have the mind of Christ,  then I should be able to do this.  I want to do this.  

Just a thought,

Mike