Shocked, this week I listened as a friend was socially ostracized for a horrific choice they made. The expression of anger I witnessed didn't resemble the grace I wished would be extended to my friend and made me cringe as I considered the ways I fail in stewarding God's grace to others. I confess, there are circumstances or situations or people that I have treated with a "doomed" mentality..... which is wrong and judgemental of me. It, also, is simply not my place.
As broken and imperfect human beings, I was struck by the power we have as Christians to reconcile people and welcome them to the beauty of God's gift of love. When we don't act as agents of reconciliation, we spread brokenness. In our depraved way of understanding we can act as blockers (dams, if you will) to the healing waters of God's grace and mercy. We taint or limit God's work of grace by closing our hearts to those we (consciously or unconsciously) deem 'outside' of God's reach or believe to be 'beyond' restoration.
Questions filled my mind as the tears filled my eyes and my heart grew heavy.
can/should love always hope? (1Cor13)
does grace ever ever ever run out? (Jn1:16, Rm3:24/5:20)
is there an end-point to love's reach? (Isaiah 59:1)
has Love ever failed me? (Deut 31:6, Josh 23:14)
as an agent of reconciliation through Jesus Christ, what action must i take? (2 Cor 5:18)
do i let fear beat out love's pull to relationship? (Jn 14:1)
how do we forget we were also forgiven in our condemning words? (1 Cor 6:20)
are we not also redeemed from the wreckage? (Isaiah 1:18)
i am dust just like my neighbour, right? (Ps 103:14)
for what purpose were you freed? (Eph 2)
today, and always, does love matter most? (1 Cor 13)
where have i blocked love from 'flowing through'? (2 Cor 4:1)
There is a precedent presented in Jesus where grace is honest and beautiful and messy and overflowing, and is for everyone. We want to be good stewards of God's grace, which I believe shouldn't be treated as a finite amount of precious perfume... but should be spilt and splashed liberally throughout the places and relationships we are welcomed into as we share the gifts we've been given (Eph 2:9). Are we not the 'aroma of Christ' (2 Cor 2:15)?
I think it's pretty important to decide how I'm going to live, apply, share, give, spread and thank God for the grace I've been given. Truth is, God can and will do what He wills without me. (But I'd rather be part of the amazing work He's actively doing.) God's in the business of restoring people to Himself... I want to only always be helpful in the process of reconciliation and, otherwise, I need to get out of the way!!
How will I build on the foundation or example of grace laid out for me? How can I excel in this 'act of grace' and align myself with what God is doing in people's lives so that grace can abound from God... through me... to the people I come in contact with?
1 Cor 3:10 - "According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it."
2 Cor 8:7 - "But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you — see that you excel in this act of grace also."
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