For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards

by Jen Hatmaker

I also suspect “getting it all right” isn’t God’s highest order. The Bible constantly elevated love over knowledge, mercy over sacrifice. Knowledge is a tricky bedfellow, because it can sometimes shield us from the gospel. Doctrine is tidier terrain than flesh and blood. Surely not one human being ever stood before God having “gotten it all right,” anyway. Not one. We don’t even know what we don’t know. Our blind spots are so terribly blind. Some of the rightest rights turned out wrong. Some of the rightest theologians are on opposite sides of doctrine. Some of the rightest leaders break people in the wake of their intellect. Could the highest level of “right theology” involve loving God and people like Jesus suggested? Fear makes us terrible brothers and sisters. We needn’t be so right over one another. We should certainly treat each other like family, in any case. Our siblings in Christ don’t need another parent; they have God. (Like I tell my kids approximately every second: “If I need your help parenting, I will ask.”) The condescending way we speak to each other—correct publicly, nitpick and criticize, question and disapprove, waiving the benefit of the doubt—is just gross. It’s why so many observers pass by this family altogether. As in any family, we have matters to work out. I am not suggesting we abandon difficult conversations or ignore a brother or sister heading toward the gutter. We must teach and lead each other, but it should be faithful, loving work between...