Two churches once sat unified together. One actually built and financed the other. They were blissful sisters. They sit a mere 15 minutes a part from one another. Over time the 2 churches have had blessing in increase of membership. Combined they have almost 400 Christians in 2 small communities. As their numbers grew...so did their distance from each other. The older Christians can't tell you why they grew apart, they just know it happened. The two now speak of each other as "separate" churches....no longer sisters. It is as if they went through a divorce....they share a past, but no desire for a future together.
It happened one day that the preacher's daughter from one church was getting married and was planning her wedding shower. She wanted to borrow the tablecloths from the other church for her shower. So the call was put in to a deacon's wife and the request was made. The answer they got back was the saddest of all. The deacon's wife replied simply, " No. We don't loan them out to anyone because the elders paid way to much money for them." And that was that...and the distance grew further....
"Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." Gal 6:10
Isn't it so sad that they missed it? They missed the chance to do good. They missed the chance to extend the hand of grace. They missed the chance to rejoice with fellow believers. They missed the chance to show neighborly love and kindness. They missed the chance to start bridging the gap...all over some material possessions that years from now will be thrown out to the garbage or eaten by moths.
It seems so silly doesn't it? But how often have we missed that very point? How often have we missed a chance to show God's love over something small? Opportunities don't always come in earth shattering moments, sometimes they come in very small, quick moments. Christ tells us to be watchful, but sometimes in our busyness we forget. So make a mental note to slow down...be still. Opportunities are everywhere. Seize them and share your tablecloths.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Lesson in Grace
If you had asked me 6 months ago what grace was, I could not have told you. If you had asked me a month ago, I could have told you about receiving grace. Right now, God is teaching me a very important lesson about giving grace.
You see, I'm quick to forgive and show grace to those who hurt ME. It's selfish really. I don't like people to be mad at me. So I take the blame or just make the first step and apologize to end the fight, then forgive and forget. It's when someone hurts the people I deeply care about that I struggle. They're not made at me so there's no personal consequence to forgive...but then again there is. There is a spiritual consequence. When I'm angry it leaves the door open for satan and that puts me in spiritual weakness...and weakness can be dangerous. "In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry" Eph 4:26
Recently a lot of people that I care about very deeply have been hurt and that made me angry. So I prayed and then I studied to see what God had to say about the matter and then I realized what grace was all about. Grace is when through clenched teeth, you take deep breaths and remind yourself that Christ tells us to love our enemies....yes, love. We need to love and forgive the people who deserve it least, but need it most. The people who are doing the hurting need our love too. Jesus came to seek and save the lost... He died for ALL of our sins and He love ALL of us. If we want to be His disciple, we too must have that same love and compassion for even those who persecute us, those who curse us, and our loved ones. We are to love our enemies. We are to forgive and trust in God and His judgment. Loving those who don't love us back, forgiving those who don't deserve it, seeking those who are lost and don't know it....that's what grace is all about.
Dorothy Day put it best " I really only love God as much as I love the person I love the least" (this has become my new favorite reminder)
You see, I'm quick to forgive and show grace to those who hurt ME. It's selfish really. I don't like people to be mad at me. So I take the blame or just make the first step and apologize to end the fight, then forgive and forget. It's when someone hurts the people I deeply care about that I struggle. They're not made at me so there's no personal consequence to forgive...but then again there is. There is a spiritual consequence. When I'm angry it leaves the door open for satan and that puts me in spiritual weakness...and weakness can be dangerous. "In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry" Eph 4:26
Recently a lot of people that I care about very deeply have been hurt and that made me angry. So I prayed and then I studied to see what God had to say about the matter and then I realized what grace was all about. Grace is when through clenched teeth, you take deep breaths and remind yourself that Christ tells us to love our enemies....yes, love. We need to love and forgive the people who deserve it least, but need it most. The people who are doing the hurting need our love too. Jesus came to seek and save the lost... He died for ALL of our sins and He love ALL of us. If we want to be His disciple, we too must have that same love and compassion for even those who persecute us, those who curse us, and our loved ones. We are to love our enemies. We are to forgive and trust in God and His judgment. Loving those who don't love us back, forgiving those who don't deserve it, seeking those who are lost and don't know it....that's what grace is all about.
Dorothy Day put it best " I really only love God as much as I love the person I love the least" (this has become my new favorite reminder)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
