But grow in the grace
and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18a
In chapel today the preacher read from the end of second
Peter and asked how you know if you’re getting the scriptures right. They can
be confusing, sometimes even contradictory, other times they are downright
weird! Everyone has a different interpretation and it can bend the idea of
truth into knots. So how do you know if you’re getting it right?
The answer is blessedly simple: You are growing in grace.
This week it seems that this concept is popping up
everywhere, so maybe it’s best I pay attention! It all started with a friend of
mine posting an article on Facebook. I made a comment that, I will admit, was unnecessarily
glib. I over-exaggerated my point, both for emphasis and for humor. A guy I do
not know reacted rather defensively in response. I let it go because not
everyone has a sense of humor and that is his own problem ok. But I was pleased that my friend,
the original poster of the article, called him out for his bad behavior and
gently invited him to be a more positive contributor to the discussion.
The guy said something that really struck me: “I’d like
a little more of a show of good faith before I bothered…” I don’t want to make
too many assumptions about a perfect stranger, but I would hazard a guess that
he has had several negative experiences with non-Christians attacking his faith
and now requires proof that you are in the club before he’ll engage.
But this kind of bunker mentality has no place in the
church.
My point here is not to bash this guy. I understand where he’s
coming from and sympathize deeply – it’s hostile out there! Nor is he any kind of an anomaly. We all do this; I know I do it all the time! What I want to
share with you is that this was a moment for me when the Holy Spirit whispered in
my heart, “this is not what we do.” Christ did not wait for me to prove or even acquire some credentials before he showed me grace.
But God demonstrates his
own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
In Colossians[1]
Paul again points out that while God was doing his redemptive work, we were
busy being his enemies. God does not need a show of good faith; he freely
extends grace. Hostile, bitter, broken people who dish out nothing but hostility and bitterness to break those around them are who grace is actually for.
If you love those who
love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.
Luke 6:32
If you’re anything like me, those words of Jesus often end
up in the file of Things I Wish He Hadn’t Said. I would so much rather just be
nice to people who are easy to be nice to! Can I get an Amen? No? Yeah, you're probably right. But this is HARD!
This came up again in the Nehemiah study my evening ladies bible study is working
through. One of the homework questions to reflect on was “what is the Spirit prompting
you to change?” And the Spirit did less gentle whispering and more insistently flicking
my ear saying, “this! Grow in grace!”
So this is my prayer, that God will give me his eyes to see past
people’s crusty, unfriendly exteriors and to give grace no matter how little I may think they deserve it. And although right now my grace is a weak and puny little sprout, I know a guy “who makes things grow.[2]”
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