Part of everyday life, is rubbing shoulders with people who have faults. Obviously, this includes all of us. Faults can range from inconsequential irritations to sinful actions that damage. Ironically, far too often we respond to other’s faults in a back-to-front manner, where irritations receive a beating and sin is overlooked. Conversely, there’s the legalistic people who show no grace to those tripped up by sin, pursuing them to make a spectacle, while giving no thought to those who are habitually irritating.
Whether people have faults which they cannot identify within themselves, or they are trapped by serious sin, they all need gracious assistance by Christians conveying greater Christlike character. Paul speaks of this during his instructions in Galatians 6:1, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. The King James Version, more clearly words this verse by saying, if anyone is “overtaken in a fault”. We should always guard against either understating the seriousness of a matter, or, overstating a matter which could cause unwarranted damage to everyone involved.
This requires humility, a gracious demeanor, and prayerful patience. There is no room for unhealthy bias, or even the slightest attitude of superiority. Loving grace coupled with truth is the vehicle used by the Lord in transitioning a faltering believer into greater alignment with the Lord. A gracious attitude with a correct purpose is paramount. James puts it this way, the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere (James 3:17). These are the essential qualities required to be effective in aiding weaker believers.
John chapter 8 records an occasion when the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees brought a lady guilty of adultery to Jesus, who was teaching the public in the temple. They wanted to catch Jesus out in His response to her sin, as they openly humiliated her while trying to justify the death penalty upon her. Jesus, knowing the hearts of everyone present, responded, let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her (John 8:7). Jesus didn’t deny the lady’s guilt, nor did He argue against the Mosaic law, rather, He exposed the self-righteous and harsh attitudes of those condemning the lady. That day, Jesus delivered a message to everyone present, one none of them expected, and one the scribes and Pharisees did not want to receive. Grace and truth must operate together!
I suspect that lady gained a whole new perspective of what it meant to be the recipient of grace that day. However, Jesus didn’t completely let her off the hook. He instructed her to go, and from now on sin no more (John 8:11). She would have understood that Jesus was not demanding sinless perfection, but for her to stop the adulterous behaviour in her life. Although the word “grace” is not used in John’s account of this event, grace is undeniably stamped all over Jesus’ response.
You see, when grace dominates the hearts of God’s people, it dramatically changes how they engage with others. Grace bypasses calling for public shaming, grace seeks reconciliation more than justice, although justice is not ignored. Grace softens, it defuses heated situations, it refuses to lash out, and grace humbles both the approach and the strategy used. This is because restoration with God and people is the goal. Grace is mercy in action, sinners helping sinners, helping those with faults, and restoring those caught in sin.
