Perhaps sometimes we worry too much that our pristine images will be marred. This makes us become a little paranoid, and sometimes a little bit over. Threats to our carefully built empire must be swiftly and decisively eradicated. But is that always the way?

Sometimes we forget that in the first place, we are all marred, and the only reason we are where we are is because of sheer grace. We forget that in the first place, the empire we build was not ours but His.

The kingdom of God is made up of broken people who have been healed; people who have experienced salvation and grace. It is made up of real people, with real hearts, and real lives. This means they had once fallen, and still fall, but are still being saved, and are still experiencing his truth and grace.

Sometimes we must take heed lest we become like the Pharisees. Because the way of Jesus is the way of compassion, that finds itself in both truth and grace.