Grace and the High Wire

Watching footage of a high-wire walker makes me nervous. It is the risk involved that draws the crowds. I recall seeing pictures of such a person walking on a thin wire over Niagra Falls. Gracious! Either the person is nuts...or they have an extreme amount of confidence in what they are doing. The second option must be the case.

Common to each 'walker' is a long balance pole in hand. The pole is lightly weighted on the ends so that the slightest tipping of the pole can hold the walker's balance in the middle of that wire they are walking. I can't think of a single wire-walker that walks without this balance pole. It seems to be a tool of necessity for survival.

If you will allow me, I'd like to think of Grace as that pole, and our walk with the Lord as being the walk on the wire. From the ground, an altogether earthly view, walking the high-wire seems near impossible. In fact, I have heard men express, "I don't go to church because I could never be good enough." "I'm too much of a sinner to ever be a Christian." It does seem difficult from the carnal mind. When one considers "...straight is the gate and narrow is the way and few their be that find it...", one gives pause to even trying at all. This is where Grace comes into hand.

Grace is the 'pole' of possibility which allows us to do the seemingly impossible. Remember, "With God all things are possible." Really! Drug addicts have the hope of one day living free of addiction. The immoral can have total deliverance to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. Evil men, can become kind, charitable men. Women depressed and lonely can find peace and help through Grace.

So what is Grace? Grace is the tool of balance with weight on each end of the spectrum. One one end is legalism. That is to assume whatever tight-rope walking will be done, will have to be done on your own power. You'll have to be good enough to keep your balance. You will have to never mis-step, mis-speak, always look just right, comply with someone's manual of ideal's, etc. On the other end of the balance of Grace is the idea that one cannot fail, that eternity is secure no matter what I do or say or act, that I can live a sloppy Christian life and God won't care. This is why Paul asked, "Shall we continue in sin that Grace may abound?" Then he emphatically answered, "God forbid!" For nobody can walk without knowing how to handle Grace. Ladies and gentlemen, this comprises the 'pole' or the tool of balance. You cannot walk the high-wire by holding this tool at either end. Attempting to do so would make one even more vulnerable to the fall.

We must conclude then that our safety is found in grasping this Grace right in the middle. There, you will find a solid balance...not too loose, not too tight...not too left, not too right! God expects us to live right, but He asked us to 'strive' for perfection. Living life in the middle is the key. It is about keeping your balance. Some days we lean a little too far to either extreme. Does this mean God is ready to send us hurling from the high road, straight in to hell? A thousand times no! All we need do is to tip the pole slightly in the opposite direction. And when our balance is found, level off and continue walking.

This is what Grace is all about. Now...go get on the high-wire, do the impossible and watch the crowds stand in awe.