What Do We Extend: Grace or Judgment?

          This past week our students started a new series entitled Collide.  Here is a snapshot of this series, “Ask anyone who's ever run into a sliding glass door that was closed, or went for the same baseball as a teammate, or experienced a fender bender at a stoplight-a collision changes things. Whether it's a bump on the head or a cracked bumper, something is not the same as it was before. The same thing happens when we collide with God or His truth or even other people. We're changed. But unless we put ourselves in a position to collide, everything will stay the same. So are you ready to change, are you ready to collide?” 

Each week includes a discussion question/point that our parents and their students are encouraged to wrestle through together.  The first week’s discussion questions read as follows, What is one thing you would like to change in your life?  What would it take to make that change happen?

I personally think that I have struggled more with the question for this week, than any other this year.  There were several thoughts that ran through my mind, but I wrestled with finding the concrete thread that was woven into all of them.  After praying, thinking, and praying some more I came to the realization that I feel like I have a really good life.  Are there small things that I would consider changing … sure, but in the big picture of things I’m doing good.  I mean our family is taken care of with the basic needs of a house, clothes, food and financially.  We have strong relationships with other people both friends/family and most importantly with God.  I was reminded of this while I was teaching this past week as I shared an illustration about a mission’s trip that I went on during my freshman year of college.  I recall seeing the despair of the people that we were serving and the lack of the “basic” items that they had.  Yet, despite all of their struggles they still were happy, joy-filled, and loving.  This illustrated what was really important to have in life, which is something that I still remember over ten years later.

As I mentioned there are things that are not perfect in my life, which I believe is the case with anyone who takes an honest inventory of their lives.  Have I failed in the past in various situations and relationships, absolutely.  But the important thing is that despite those shortcomings I have learned from them, developed a new strategy to handle things, and found myself developing more healthy means of dealing with situations and people.  With all of that being said I did think one thing that I would like to change in my life, which may sound a little radical but it has honestly been something that has torn at my heart for the past few years now.  The thing that I would like to change is how the Church treats others.

Early on in my life, I believed that the church was a wonderful place where everyone could come, be accepted, and experience the love of Jesus Christ.  While this is true of most churches today, there are a few that lurk in the shadows and cause havoc on the lives of Christians and there local communities.  I can recall a couple of experiences that happened while I was serving in ministry that honestly made our family almost walk completely away from the faith and church entirely because of how a situation was handled by an organization that we believed should express the love and grace of Jesus Christ fully.  As sad as this may sound many of you have experienced this very thing as you find yourself being one of the “walking wounded” who have been impacted negatively by the church.  Recently our family was contacted by someone, who was a member in a church we had served in, who informed us a lifestyle choice she had made.  She told us that she understood if we didn’t want to talk to her or be associated with her anymore because of this choice.  When we pushed the issue to ask her why she thought we would feel that way, she told us that her local church had made her feel unwelcomed and she assumed all Christians would feel that way.  This broke my heart because of the damage the church had done to this young lady.  Rather than embracing her and showing her the love of Christ, they condemned her and made her feel unworthy. 

            So what would I change in my own life?  I would strive to make the church a place that accepts and loves others regards of their backgrounds, finances, or situations.  I would love to see the church embrace a calling to care for others in the same sacrificial manner that Jesus cares for each of us by giving, serving, and loving.  So what would it take to make that change happen?  Well, for many Christians and churches, we would need to embrace the calling that Jesus gave us to truly be the light of the world to those in need (and even those who may be in need and don’t realize it).   This doesn’t mean that we don’t confront sin when it enters the picture but rather that we seek to help people through their situations to develop a deeper love of Christ in the process.

            So what is one thing that you would like to change in your life?  What would take to achieve that change?  Maybe it would be something that seems small but yet would greatly affect your outlook on life?  Maybe it is something that is so large that it seems impossible?  Whatever the case I challenge you to start trying to change today as you seek to have a collision with God.