Sometimes (often times?) the church gets a bad
rap because it does not operate perfectly. But can you point to any entity that
is operated by humans that functions perfectly?
How about the school system? Hospitals and even
doctors have huge insurance policies for malpractice. We are seeing airbags
that are supposedly designed to protect us being recalled.
Are police departments without criticisms? What
about our city or county governments? No?
Well, surely our national government and election
process, that runs like a well-oiled machine, right?
OK, please stop snickering. Since we can agree
that no organization operates without some degree of dysfunction, can we make a
higher call for our organizations, including the church? Can we ask for some
grace?
Grace. No I don’t mean saying a prayer of
“grace,” like you would before a meal, although all of the entities I’ve listed
could definitely use more prayer. No, I mean can we imperfect people give a
little more grace and mercy to those who need it?
You have surely heard of marital spats and family
feuds and church splits over the most mundane of causes. Divisions and
divisiveness could possibly be avoided and certainly lessened if we all had a
little more grace and mercy in our hearts for others who are less than perfect.
The story is told that a young man was sentenced
to hanging and his mother came before Napoleon, pleading for mercy. “Mercy?”
came Napoleon’s cold, incredulous response. “This boy has stolen from my palace
twice. He doesn’t deserve mercy!”
“But sir,” the mother begged, “It would not be
mercy if he deserved it.” Moved by the mother’s passion and persuasion,
Napoleon relented and the boy was released.
Tolerance is not what is needed today, for
tolerance implies that all views are equal in value and merit, when clearly
that is not the case.
Grace is defined as unmerited favor, an
undeserved gift, recognizing a wrong has been done but a greater gift of grace
can be given to balance out the wrong.
In
fact, grace exceeds and overcompensates the wrong.
The Apostle Paul knew about grace and the need of
it within the church. He began every epistle which is recorded in the Bible
with these words, “Grace to you and peace.”
Paul wrote more about grace than any other person
in the Bible, including Jesus Himself. Paul knew he needed grace and had
received grace and mercy from God.
Are you upset with the church or someone in the
church? Have you been hurt by someone? Have you chosen to stop going to church
because it has failed in your expectations?
Are you holding a grudge or
unforgiveness because of someone who “doesn’t deserve” to be forgiven?
The church is far from perfect. As surely as you
can walk into a hospital and find people who are in need of healing, when you
walk into a church, you will find people who are in need of grace. That is why
we who are called Christians need to be the biggest dispensers of God’s grace,
mercy and forgiveness.
God is rich in mercy (Eph. 2:4) and did not spare
his grace when we needed it. As the woman pleaded for mercy for her son who
needed it, I ask you to be a dispenser of grace, mercy and forgiveness today to
those who need it the most.
Even to those who don’t deserve it.
