When love is lacking, the message of the truth may be lost if our attitude, tone, and words are harsh. Does that mean we compromise the truth? Absolutely not! Pitting truth against love is a false dichotomy, for we need both and need not sacrifice one for the other. Graciousness is also more than just being nice. It is an underlying heart attitude that seeks the good of others and is a necessary component in ministry.

Graciousness: Tempering Truth With Love – John Crotts, Reformation Heritage Books, 2018, 137 pages.

In one word, how would you describe the way people handle disagreements today? What word would you use if those people were Christians? Unfortunately “gracious” wouldn’t be my first choice, given what I’ve seen on social media of late, which is why this book by John Crotts is very timely.

There is no question that we need to be people who zealously defend the truth. Yet the Bible charges us to speak the truth in love. When love is lacking, the message of the truth may be lost if our attitude, tone, and words are harsh. Does that mean we compromise the truth? Absolutely not! Pitting truth against love is a false dichotomy, for we need both and need not sacrifice one for the other. Graciousness is also more than just being nice. It is an underlying heart attitude that seeks the good of others and is a necessary component in ministry. It shows that we are trusting God because forceful arguments and pressure cannot change a heart, and it can pave the way for gospel opportunities with unbelievers.

The author uses the lives of Jesus and Paul as biblical examples of graciousness. Jesus was the embodiment of grace and truth in all his dealings with people and never sinned even when confronting his adversaries. Paul underwent quite a transformation from the pharisee who hated Christians to the apostle whose concern for the churches was like a mother for her children.

The remainder of the book is very practical with chapters on cultivating graciousness in our own hearts, being gracious towards others in attitude and action, and growing in graciousness as a Christian community. Some of this practical advice includes thinking before we speak and journaling our thoughts, which gives time to pause and reflect before blurting out what we may regret later. Using words like “I think” and “it seems” indicate to the hearer that we don’t think we know everything. These chapters are convicting because we need to examine ourselves and repent of pride and lack of love. But they are also encouraging as the author reminds us of of God’s kindness towards us in the gospel. If he is able to change our hearts, he is able to do that for others.

Graciousness is concise, readable, and very applicable. If you want to defend the truth in a spirit of love towards others, I recommend this book.

I received a copy of this book from Reformation Heritage Books via Cross Focused Reviews. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Persis Lorenti is an ordinary Christian. You can find her at Tried With Fire and Out of the Ordinary. This article appeared on her blog and is used with permission.