There were many helpful things I learned this summer during our staff training and development times...but "The Grid" was maybe one of the most helpful. As I continue to understand and learn what it means to live in grace and truth with others and with God this grid has been a great tool for understanding where I tend to operate in life and how to move closer to grace and truth. Let me explain it a little.

On the "x" axis you have Grace and on the "y" axis you have Truth. As they both increase you have Grace and Truth.

Performance
As Truth increase and Grace decreases you have performance and legalism. Most performers still think there is a law or some standard that God wants them to live up to in order to earn His favor. Lots of judgment in the life of a performer because they are trying to live "perfect" lives for everyone but inevitably they fail, judge themselves, and gear themselves up to do a better job next time. Performers are never really known because what is shown is only the good...that leaves half of them not known or accepted.

Total Excess
As Truth decreases and Grace increases you have an environment of Total Excess and license. It is an attitude of complete rebellion and excess. This attitude is very self-destructive at seems fun at first until the consequences catch up with them. A lot of times Performers will slide into Total Excess after they realize that despite their best efforts they aren't able to live up to all the standards they believe are there for them.

Isolation
As Grace and Truth both decrease you have Isolation. Isolation is different than solitude. In isolation the person wants to hide and keep things in the dark. It is very easy to be depressed in isolation. People feel lonely, left out, secluded, and un-known.

Grace and Truth
The final quadrant is Grace and Truth. In grace and truth the person is free from "should" and lives life out of a desire to serve and be obedient and love. The person may not seem to be "a good Christian" because they accept the good and the bad and aren't so concerned with hiding the bad. They are dependent on others and God and realize that they need both grace and truth from others and God to grow.

So there is a brief explanation of The Grid. Here are some questions to ask yourself that I've asked myself.

-What quadrant do I normally operate in?
-What quadrant do I operate in with different relationships in my life (family, friends, co-workers, God...etc)?
-What is the cost of where I tend to operate?
-What do I need to do to move toward Grace and Truth?