As you move towards the end of something, you start to think of those final words… final encouragements… final gifts. You want to make sure that you’ve left no doubt about the things you value and think are important. So this is one of those things! God’s Grace is Enough!

In a lovely little picture book that I have in my office, Melissa Kruger, the author of ‘His Grace is Enough. How God Makes It Right, When We’ve Got it Wrong’ the opening pages say…

If you make a big mess, or tell a small lie,
If you’re lazy with chores, and don’t even try,
If you get fiery mad, and hit someone hard,
Or cheat a good friend, as you play in the yard,
If you steal someone’s toy,
Or say something mean,
What can you do to make yourself clean?
I’ll tell you again, for you need to know.
Never forget this, wherever you go…
God’s grace is enough!
It’s so big and so free. His grace is enough both for you and for me.

The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23 that we have all sinned and fallen short of who God wants us to be. However, we are also told that we are all ‘justified freely’ through His redeeming work of Jesus on the Cross. That’s the essence of the Gospel, the good news: God’s grace is always enough.

Whether we are a child, or an adult, it’s hard to ‘make yourself clean’! We need Jesus, who was perfectly clean to do that for us. And it’s free! We don’t pay for it or earn it! We don’t become clean after a really long time of being good or even after faithfully doing God’s good work. 

This is an amazing hope-filled truth that we need to hear and grasp. Especially in a world that is anxiously craving affirmation and certainty.

What does this mean for the Christian school?

Firstly, I think it means that we are called to be an authentic Christian community, understanding that we will all ‘make a mess’ at some time or another. Whether we are a student, parent or staff member, we need to be gracious and understanding towards one another. That doesn’t mean that we don’t seek improvement or restoration, but we need to remember that none of us have the capacity to make ourselves clean.

Secondly, it also means we need to be a learning community that presents this truth in all sorts of ways. As we study history or read stories, when we look at the successes and failures of science and political systems, when we play sport or just hang out with our friends, when we reflect on, or refine policies… all these things need to consider the nature of being human and how this impacts the creation.

Finally, Christian education has a different ‘telos’ or end point. It doesn’t finish with the graduation of a student. The telos is to form students who can take up their role as responsive disciples in God’s world, demonstrating God’s grace in our daily lives. As a result we focus on different outcomes, value different priorities and celebrate different successes than other schools. 

It is my hope and prayer that in the ‘messiness’ of life, all of those connected with the MECS community will be able to experience this truth and rest in its’ assurance; His Grace Is Enough!

Narelle Sketcher, MECS Principal