Truth and Grace

I've recently gotten to know a recent high school grad in the town we're currently raising support, I'll call him Tom. Many of the teens we're spending time with are living what many would call pretty messy lives: tattoos, drugs, sex, lots of ragged black cloths. Most are incredible nice to us, eager to see that we're not intimidated by them and willing to build relationships with them. Back to Tom - no one would think he's messy; he doesn't drink, has no tattoos, and is gainfully employed. Tom seemed extra eager to build a relationship with me and Jess. At first I didn't think anything of it. When we got to talking about faith stuff, I sensed an openness and invited him to join us at church.

The next morning, there he was, but he came to the later service and we just finished the early. Honestly, at the moment I had no idea whether to stay with him or keep on with my plans. We left and Tom stayed. Later I wasn't sure we had done him right, but hoped for more chances to connect. So I sent him an message online later in the week seeing how he was doing, and planned on connecting with him more on Friday night.

Friday and Saturday night, Tom was there. We played some pool, talked a little, but not much more than that. As we were about to leave Saturday night, I asked Tom if he had any plans for Sunday. He said none, other than joining us for church... for the early service... Great, I thought, but I still didn't really know much about him or how he was doing.

Sunday's message was great, and set up a great transition to going deeper with Tom. As we sat there, the pastor talked about Jesus in the book of John, and how John shows that as the Christ, Jesus offers life to all who believe. As the message ended, Tom sat down and broke into tears. I prayed that God would give me His words, and His heart as I started to ask Tom what's going on.

Among his first words were, "I have no one. I wandering alone." I knew exactly what he needed to know, but it wasn't going to come from me just telling it to him. I knew because I experienced the same life changing message in college. He needs truth and grace.

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

In Jesus, we get the complete manifestation of truth and grace. The two places we experience these most are in the Word of God and in a community of believers. Until college, I really didn't have either. Tom has neither, yet.

I've come to realize that we hardly fathom how absolutely essential truth and grace are. Where do we get purpose and meaning without truth??? How do we know that what we're doing has any value if there is nothing outside ourselves telling us so?? Without truth about God, truth about ourselves, truth about the world, we are nothing more than meaningless, purposeless wanders, doomed to keep falling into the same traps everyone else falls into. How can we have relationships when we keep messing up?? Where do we get freedom to be who God made us?? How can life be about more than rules?? Without grace, we're equally lost in slavery to fear and isolation. Truth provides purpose, grace provides freedom.

The world that has so frightened Tom is one without truth or grace. All that anyone has told him so far is that's he's on his own and there's no meaning to anything.

That's one of the lies Satan wants him to believe. If it weren't that, it could be "Meaning is found in Pleasure" or "Meaning is found in material abundance"

The truth is, God made him and has a purpose for his life. Tom doesn't need to create his own purpose, just follow God's to be satisfied. He's also not alone. God never leaves us, and always gives us what we need to overcome a trial. Right now, God has put me into Tom's life to show him truth and grace. I'm eager to grab pizza with him on Wednesday, work on an old car with him sometime, and hopefully tell him more about my beautiful Savior who gives me purpose and freedom.