Grace..... and truth???????? Help......

Full of Grace and Truth

I have just read an Ordained leader's parish letter on hearing a message on John 1 and it has left me really anxious- and I need help to understand why.

The comment was something along the lines of: 'We must be gracious but need to remember that we have to speak truth so it is not as if anything goes'. Why does my stomach do a somersault at this point?

Reflecting on this:

I don't understand what this comment really means?
I, as a Christ Follower, simply don't know what it means to be full of grace and truth.
Help!!!!!
Some of us are more comfortable with what we understand to be truth, and then feel that grace means to find the nicest (we hope) possible means to encourage others to agree with us.
We are not secure enough to allow the One who is grace and truth to work in the relationship and dialogue - (pre- supposing those of us who hold onto 'truth' have those sort of relationships anyway).
We believe change is about what we do to others rather than what the Holy Spirit does when a person is in a relationship with Jesus. (though of course we really believe this)
We believe change is what the Holy Spirit in a Christ Follower does, as long it conforms to what we believe the truth is, which of course may be right, but we need to give him a helping hand in case he doesn't do it  a) in our timescale b) according to the rules (ours and those in our church - which secretly we may disagree with.. c) answers on a post card

My starter for 10 is that I think we need to work at some basic rules of relationship, listening and dialogue - maybe even feel what Jesus felt when he met people - and then work it out from there.

I am work in process on this - so any thoughts welcome.

Maybe somersualts are not my thing and I should stick to trampolining. (I have discovered that trampolines with walls are on offer in ASDA at the moment!!???)

Off to France tomorrow to share thoughts on looking at the world through different eyes, with some lovely Anglican Christians who form part of the Aquitaine Chaplaincy. The monks at Belloc (Pyrenees) where we meet, last year forgot I was coming early, so I spent the night in an out house watching 'Frasier' dvds. Could be worse and they made up for it afterwards.

So this year I think they are looking out for me. Oooer....