The caller to the well-known talk radio host began to rail on drug users basically saying they were useless human wrecks! I waited to see how the host would respond, knowing full well that just a few years ago he had been in rehab for his own addiction to prescription drugs. This man known for his bombast, his judgments of the foibles and failures of others, and calls for swift and painful justice- fell uncharacteristically quiet and quickly went to commercial break. The caller was gone when the show resumed. Our own failures and sins can - and should - produce a healthy humility in us and a genuine desire for mercy. Do they? Or, do we compartmentalize our own sins, excuse them, and continue to clamor for 'justice' for those on whom we look down from our pedestal?
Jesus told a series of stories about lost thing in the 15th chapter of Luke. There was a lost sheep that the shepherd went out and found. All the people rejoiced. Yeah! Little lamb is back safe and sound. There was a coin mislaid. The woman of the house turned it upside down until she found the coin. All the people rejoiced. Yeah! Her fortune is restored. There was a lost son, beloved by his father despite his sin and rebellion. Finally, the wayward one returned home. The father, who is overjoyed, throws a celebration. Jesus puts an ending that is very different in this story. Instead of the people rejoicing, there is an older brother, a good son who worked hard and took care of his Dad and the farm who sees the joy of his father over the return of his drunken, immoral brother and asks, "where is the justice in this?"
"The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. The son said, ‘Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!’ " (Luke 15:28-30, The Message)
That part of the story is painful for me to read because I see many of the traits of that older brother in myself and in many Believers. Instead of being welcoming, hoping for the return of those who have wandered from our Father's house, we want justice visited on them. We are like Jesus' own disciples who, when a village refused to show them hospitality, had a burst of faith and asked Him - "Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?" But Jesus turned and rebuked them." (Luke 9:54-55, NLT) It is amazing how quick we are to turn the fire of our condemnation on those we deem to be 'sinners,' and seeing our lack of love as an expression of righteousness!
Jesus reserved His strongest rebukes for those who were scrupulous about keeping the smallest details of the Law of God, but who failed to see the importance of grace, mercy, and love. His words are not softened or subtle! "You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but on the meat of God’s Law, things like fairness and compassion and commitment—the absolute basics!—you carelessly take it or leave it. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required." (Matthew 23:23, The Message)
My appeal today is two-fold.
First, if you're a wanderer- "come home!" The Father loves you and waits for your return. Your brothers may be a little slow to accept you, but that is the way it is with those who grow proud of their own goodness and blind to their hidden sins.
Second, if you're one of those who are clamoring for justice to fall on 'all those sinners' in this world - let the scandal of God's grace touch your heart anew. Weep for the erring one. Lift up the fallen. Open wide the door and invite them to experience God's amazing grace - just as you have, time and time again.
________________________________
Red can't explain the beauty of a rose
And white can't tell the magic
In the air when it snows;
Marvelous can't half convey
The grace of the King,
The only word for grace is amazing.
There's no other word for grace but amazing,
No other explanation will do,
unmerited favor, the song that I sing,
There's no other word for grace but amazing.
Now the Father looked beyond
All the failures I had made,
He never seemed to notice
All the times I did not obey;
He overlooked all the scars
Of sin I had in me,
But the grace that He showed
Still amazes me.
No Other Word for Grace but Amazing
Kirk Talley © 1982, 1988 Kirk Talley Music
(Admin. by Integrated Copyright Group, Inc.)
No comments:
Post a Comment