A Question of Balance

I have spoken up more than once in favor of balance. I do not regret this. But I believe there are different kinds of balance. There is the balance that merely meets somewhere in the middle and tries not to be too excited about anything. This is a position that seeks moderation for moderation's sake. But there is another type of balance, which is advocated by G. K. Chesterton, that consists in the holding on to both extremes and letting each have their proper place.

I am convinced that the heart of this is to be found in the gospel. In the gospel we are faced with God's love and grace and with God's holiness and justice, both in the extreme. We might want to think of some middle ground, where God was just but His justice was somewhat tempered with mercy, and we had to live up to this moderate moral standard. But He is so just that He demands perfection (Matthew 5:48; James 2:10; 1 John 1:5), but so loving that He gave His Son to offer salvation as a free gift (John 3:16-18; Romans 5:6-8; 3:21-26). He calls those who put their faith in Him to make the goal conformity to the image of His Son (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 8:29,30; 1 Peter 1:14-17), but to do so in the context of grace and security (Romans 8:31-39; 5:1,2; Hebrews 13:5). We are told that this is all based on God's work in us (Philippians 2:13; Colossians 1:29; 2 Peter 1:3), but we are to put out every effort to bring it about in our lives (Hebrews 12:1,2; 5:11-14; 1 Timothy 4:7,8). We are to recognize ourselves as sinners and humble ourselves before God (1 John 1:8-10; James 4:6-10; Proverbs 1:7), but are encouraged to rejoice even in difficult times because of what God has done for us (Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16; John 16:33). We are to stand firmly for the truth (Jude 3; Romans 16:17,18; 2 Timothy 4:1-4), but  to do so in love (2 Timothy 2:24-26; 1 Peter 3:15; Galatians 6:1).  

However, it makes us nervous to grasp both extremes and have them come together to define us. It seems so much easier to find a nice safe place in the middle that is comfortable and does not demand too much from us. But to live out the truth of God I am convinced we need a wild balance rather than a tame balance. So that we might incorporate the right extremes into our lives, not by doing everything in a moderate, reserved way, but by giving every good thing its appropriate importance.