so i made a new friend...i know, shocking...once you've picked your jaw up off the ground, i wanna tell ya bout my boy Travis. Travis been around the world and i i i...sorry puffy and ma$e got in my head there for a minute...Travis has seen much of the world, he's a cool dude. He's been my theological/philosophical talking partner whenever i run into him at the coffeehouse. now, i don't think he'd mind me saying...travis is frustrated with the greater church. and 'cause of his story, i can understand. he says that for churches who preach 'grace', there's no way they fully understand grace, because they don't live grace (trav, if you readin...did i get that right?)
trav's got a heart for the poor and broken...it blows his mind how a church that 'worships' Jesus doesn't love or live like Jesus...if they really understood grace...
...so it got me thinking and i want to hear your thoughts, and i'll give you mine (later)...what is your understanding of grace (small topic, i know)...and what role does grace play in how you live?
11 comments:
Travis is right: the church is a whore and his feelings resonate with my own. But I return to the Church for the same reasons that Christ does: I have hope.
Before I would talk about grace, let me be the first to say that I don't live grace very well. I try, but I've got a long way to go.
One of the things about a gracious God though is that even though I don't live up to grace (deserve it), grace nonetheless is there for me...that's kind of the point of grace.
And though we do it because it's easier to compartmentalize different conversations, when we talk about grace, we're really talking about God, not a substance or a thing. I always try and remind myself of that.
Actually, I was reminded of that in a conversation with my good rabbi friend. I used the word in mid-sentence and she stopped me. She asked me to describe what I meant by the word because though she understands it in relation to a ballet dancer, she's not usually sure what is meant when she hears a Christian say it. I was surprised.
Anyway...that was four paragraphs of rambling...not sure if you got anything out of any of it.
I really like this topic that you wrote about. I've been thinking about it over the last couple of days. I once had grace described to me as more than just giving what is undeserved, but giving the best to those who deserve the worst. That is SO opposite of everything that comes natural to me. It is SO radically opposite of the way that the world works. This blog has inspired me to try to do one radically gracious thing every day. I don't just mean helping somebody out who needs a hand, but helping some one out who takes advantage of my help and doesn't appreciate it. That is grace at its fullest. That kind of grace is extremely rare in this world (and in my life). I think maybe if I can force myself to practice this radical grace, it will help me to understand its power on a deeper level.
Grace daily reminds me that I need to be responsible with the freedom Christ died for me to have.
jeremy, i got plenty out of that, in fact, i would like to make an addendum to my post...when i say grace, i mean God...
jo, did you not like your first response?
It was the same response...I just wanted to add the part about the freedom that Christ gives...not just freedom in general. :)
got it...didnt want us thinkin you meant our American freedom? :)
A note of caution; grace does not have meaning outside of community. Grace also has no application except to flawed individuals living in community. God through Jesus did not call us to reconciliation to live solitary lives; but in community. Living in community is the only option Jesus has offered to us. We should expect that the community of faith will be flawed while at the same time becoming like Christ. Are we calling ourselves and others to transformation into the image of Jesus? Or are we noting only the flaws and then excusing the same flaws in ourselves? Grace demand transformation of us and the community
welcome to the blog world dad! 2 thoughts...
on grace having no meaning outside of community...I think that is ultimately Trav's issue...and at times mine. we have been welcomed into this community, by no merit of our own, but by the grace of God...and while we live in community with one another, there seems to be a point where individuals act as if they've become a part of the community on their own merit and the grace-filled community becomes and exclusive club rather than the inclusive gospel...
and as far as transformation, i've got a quick question, something I was talkin with a brother about the other day...how do we extend grace, God's grace, while at the same time ...ya know what, that's another post...to be continued...
...and dad, you know you love the shot of my chicken legs!
We should not be suprised when flawed people do not always match the model of Christ within community and we can't let that be an excuse to seperate ourselves from community. Besides the only option God has given us is living in community and extending grace within the community without expecting that we personally have a "right" to recieve grace from others. That may be sound a little harsh, but to say another way...do we have the correct expectations of the community? If our expectations are not correct, then we cannot avoid being disappointed.
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