Life can feel like a tug-of-war between a faith that only focuses on the positive and one that only sees brokenness and sin. But Jesus shows us a better way. In John 4, He meets a Samaritan woman with a complicated story—acknowledging her reality without judgment. Instead of forcing people to choose between pretending to have it all together or walking away from faith, Jesus invites us to embrace the beautiful mess of life. When we make space for both beauty and struggle, we create authentic communities where people can bring their whole selves.

Grace is often mistaken for mercy or forgiveness, but its true meaning is favor. Many Christians believe God loves them, yet doesn’t really like them, which creates a heavy burden and pushes people from faith. But grace means God’s unconditional favor - He both loves and likes us. This truth from John 1:16 shifts our focus and frees us to move from highlighting what’s wrong with people to demonstrating God’s love for them.

In Matthew 12, the Pharisees criticized Jesus’ disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath. Jesus replied with Hosea 6:6: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” In that moment, He challenged the belief that God values perfect behavior more than people. God’s heart has always been for mercy, not burdensome religion. Many walk away from faith feeling crushed by impossible standards, but Jesus reveals a different picture - God’s priority is relationship, not rule-keeping. When we grasp this, it changes how we see Him and how we show Him to others.