Charisa Stories

Tag: grace

  • Is Coming Together an Impossible Dream?

    Is Coming Together an Impossible Dream?

    An anthem from my youth came on satellite radio today. The Youngbloods recorded “Get Together” in 1967 and it became one of the quintessential peace songs of the era.

    I remember listening to a staticky AM transistor radio while singing along with The Youngbloods. I was sure that my generation could make a difference. We would fix the mess that my parents and grandparents had made. We believed peace was possible. We just had to get together. This would be easy enough. Just love one another. Everybody sing now…

    C’mon people now,
    Smile on your brother
    Ev’rybody get together
    Try and love one another right now 

    Nice words. The problem was contained in the last line of lyric above. Try and love one another right now. How is that working out for our peace loving generation? Not so well. It is far easier to sing about loving one another than it is to actually love another. No matter how much I “try” I seem to fail miserably when I determine that I will, in my own strength, love others. It is easy to love some people. But loving the unlovable is the challenge. On that count we have not done so well. Jesus pointed out my hypocrisy on that count.

    • If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. (Matthew 5:46-47, NLT)

    As an idealistic teen I believed that more education, communication, and edification would change the world. I believed that the problem was not sin. The problem was a lack of knowledge. I was wrong. The problem is sin. Education and communication certainly help. But real change comes from the inside out. And for me that came from the most amazing revolutionary in history, Jesus Christ. How we have marginalized the powerful teachings of Jesus. He bluntly said that peace was not going to be found in this life.

    • “But the time is coming–in fact, it is already here–when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”   (John 16, NLT)

    Jesus said the Holy Spirit would comfort us in times of trouble and that the peace the world advocates would fall short.

    • “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  (John 14, NLT)

    I watch the news and my heart aches. I wish we could have peace on earth but I have come to believe that is not possible through human institutions. I truly wish it were possible.

    It is not in my trying that we can get together. It is by trusting God and allowing Him to love me. When I understand how much I am loved then I can love others. Only then can we truly love one another and maybe, just maybe, we can get together and share that love.

    My book about the remarkable life of Coach W.T. Johnston is available now! I hope you will read and share his inspiring story.

  • The Cancel Culture and Grace

    The Cancel Culture and Grace

    Cancel used to be a fairly straight forward transaction. You canceled a reservation to dinner. Your flight was cancelled. Now cancel can mean your reputation and very career can be ruined if you offer an opinion that is controversial or unacceptable in the crazy court of social media. The normal sentence is shaming the person who dared offer some thought counter to the prevailing cultural trends. I understand pushing back against hateful stereotypes and name calling. That needs to be called out. But more and more this technique is being used to silence the heartfelt convictions of people who simply have a different world view.

    Questioning a cultural trend now results in public shaming, bullying, and harassment.

    I loathe the strategy of organized shaming to silence speech and cultural discourse. One of my personal hypocrisy tests is to examine my own propensity to “cancel” others that I don’t agree with. I might not launch an online attack but the reality is that refusing to entertain the viewpoints of others can effectively cancel them in your own heart.

    Sadly the church was canceling before canceling was cool. I grew up being taught that if you did not hold a particular doctrine you were not a real Christian. You were “canceled” from fellowship. If you partook in activities that were not sanctioned by the denominational rulebook you were canceled. These rules often were not biblical. They were man made convictions that had nothing to do with the redemptive work of Jesus. For example, our church said we couldn’t go bowling because alcohol was served at the bowling alley. These kind of legalistic rules became as important to some in the church as actual Biblical teachings about forgiveness, serving one another, and loving your neighbor. The result of a “rules religion” is brilliantly summarized by Tim Keller in his book Prodigal God.

    “We tend to draw conservative, buttoned-down, moralistic people. The licentious and liberated or the broken and marginal avoid church. That can only mean one thing. If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then we must not be declaring the same message that Jesus did.”

    Our culture says you have to act correctly and you will be loved. Jesus said you are loved no matter what you have said or done. The culture says clean up your act and you will be forgiven. Jesus says you can be forgiven by simply accepting His gift of grace and redemption with no clean up required. It is one hundred percent His work on the Cross and nothing that you or I bring to the table.

    A song by one of my favorite artists, Andrew Peterson, reminds me of the mystery of grace. Peterson beautifully illustrates that I am like every sinner who ever lived or will live. Peterson’s lyrics hit home and remind me that I am saved by grace alone. I was a sinner in need of a Savior. Andrew Peterson’s lyrics describe it well.

    I am the woman at the well, I am the harlot
    I am the scattered seed that fell along the path
    I am the son who ran away
    I am the bitter son who stayed

    I am the angry men who came to stone the lover
    I am the woman there ashamed before the crowd
    I am the leper who gave thanks
    I am the nine who never came

    Paul tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. I used to feel superior to those who violated my denomination’s “Top 10 list of things not to do if you are a real Christian”. But I came to realize that having less repulsive sins on my resume than someone else only mattered to my miserable band of legalists. I still fell short.

    I have come to understand why legalism is so much easier than grace. Legalism allows me to assess the situation and then apply a verse or assign a task. If that person rejects that Biblical admonition or task then legalism allows me to withdraw because they are disobedient. Grace does not give me that option. Grace demands that I move toward the struggle of my brother or sister and not away in judgment. No wonder grace is a tough sell.

    A quote by Pastor Paul Donnan says it far better than I ever could.

    Grace doesn’t treat us better than we deserve. It treats us without the slightest reference to what we deserve. Grace ceases to be grace if God withdraws it upon any human failure. If Grace is in any way tied to something you do, then it is no longer a gift but a wage, and that’s not grace.

    Grace does not “cancel”. Grace does not shame. Grace does not answer anger with anger. That person is likely crying out of pain and deep wounding. Perhaps a gentle answer will give hope. Grace does not lash out when wronged. Grace is kind and gentle.

    Being graceful is a pain in the hind regions but it is what we are called to offer to others. Paul addresses this to the church at Colossae.

    You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires. (Colossians 2:20-23)

    It is time for followers of Christ to quit canceling one another over issues that don’t mean squat to those who desperately need to hear the good news of the Gospel. Hurting souls don’t care about our denominational divides. They need Jesus. It is time to focus on the One who unites us instead of the things that divide us. We need to focus on becoming a light in this terrible darkness. There are so many hurting and sad people who want our message of hope in Christ to be true. Why would they examine our faith if the church can’t be united as followers of Jesus?

    One more thought from Paul.

    Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. (Colossians 4:5-6)

    Be kind to those who disagree and remember the words of author Alexander MacLaren. “Kindness makes a person attractive. If you would win the world, melt it, do not hammer it.”

    Don’t cancel others. Give grace. Forgive. Love one another. Be kind.

    Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. (Ephesians 4:15, NLT)

  • A Question We MUST Answer

    A Question We MUST Answer

    This has been an emotional and difficult week for most Americans. I am old enough to remember a similar period of turmoil in the late ’60’s. It is truly heartbreaking that fifty years later we are still plowing the same fields of prejudice and racism.

    President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law, with Martin Luther King, Jr., looking on. Johnson had a quote that we hoped would be prophetic. “At times history and fate meet at a single time in a single place to shape a turning point in man’s unending search for freedom.”

    Maybe there is still a chance for history and fate to join with the faith of millions of followers of Jesus to shape a turning point in our culture. Maybe the unnecessary deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd will galvanize our collective hearts in a way that can be transformative. Hear our pleas Lord that you will redeem these horrible deaths to bring you Glory and your people together.

    In my lifetime I have never seen such such intense introspection among the white community about racism. It feels like God has shown us in this time of isolation, fear, and tragic news how desperately we need to unify in the power of the Spirit. I see more of my white brothers and sisters having substantive conversations without the customary push back and defensiveness. I believe we have a window where God can move in the hearts of millions of His children to make this a moment of change.

    But you can rest assured the enemy will do everything in his power to thwart the moving of God’s Spirit. Satan will distract us with issues that keep us from healing. He will point out the bad behavior of a few so we won’t explore the pain of millions. It is time to move past rationalizations and excuses. It is time to hear the stories of black brothers and sisters without trying to offer our “take”. It is time to listen. It is time to try and feel the pain of rejection our black friends have experienced for no reason other than skin color. It is time to understand why the #black lives matter movement does not mean that only black lives matter. That was never the point. This explanation from Doug Williford puts a helpful context on the phrase.

    “If my spouse comes to me in obvious pain and asks “Do you love me?”, an answer of “I love everyone” would be truthful, but also hurtful and cruel in the moment. If a co-worker comes to me upset and says “My father just died,” a response of “Everyone’s parents die,” would be truthful, but hurtful and cruel in the moment. So when a friend speaks up in a time of obvious pain and hurt and says “Black lives matter,” a response of “All lives matter,” is truthful. But it’s hurtful and cruel in the moment.”

    I have also had to wrestle with what white privilege means. As a child of Appalachia it was hard for me to comprehend what “privilege” I had. I was the first Burchett male to graduate from high school for heavens sake. But the phrase doesn’t mean that a white hillbilly like me won’t have challenges. It simply means I start out with an inherent advantage. It is not a statement of condemnation toward whites. It is just a societal fact.

    So let’s affirm to our black brothers and sisters that black lives definitely matter. Let’s acknowledge there is a cultural advantage to being white. Let’s call racism what it is and by it’s name. Sin. Let’s stop being silent out of fear that we might offend someone. Let’s stand boldly with our black brothers and sisters.

    The Apostle John has a hard truth for followers of Jesus.

    If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. 1 John 4:20-21

    I don’t see a single qualifier about what that believer looks like or acts like.

    We are commanded by Jesus to love one another.

    This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. John 15:12

    Maybe it is time we understood that is not a helpful suggestion or really cool goal. That is a commandment. And yes, that command is impossible apart from focusing on Jesus. It means jumping headfirst into the fountain of grace. Grace that forgave me and you when we deserved anything but that free gift.

    My fear is that the white community will determine to make a difference and then simply let that conviction slip away when life returns to some semblance of normalcy. I see it all the time. Someone dies and we determine to live more fully. That lasts a few days. Our black brothers and sisters need us to dig in for the long haul. We need to produce action and not hot air. Again John hits with a hard truth. Truth is revealed by our actions.

    Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. 1 John 3:18-19

    The question will not be were you challenged? The question will be were you changed? We are the hands and feet of Jesus and we have a cultural moment to make a difference. Paul has the game plan.

    “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21

    So how will you answer the question? Merely challenged or changed in the power of His grace?

  • Unleashed

    Unleashed


    I am so excited to announce that Stay: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace is being released in paperback on June 9th. Here is a sample chapter from that book.

    Journal Entry:

    Hannah loves the morning walk. When she sees me grab my walking shoes, she begins to vibrate with excitement. If the Department of Energy wants to find an untapped green energy source, it should harness Labrador tails. I think Hannah could power a small apartment building when she gets excited and that tail starts oscillating. I love the morning walk as well. It is a time to meditate, pray, listen to good music, and enjoy God’s company.
    The walk is pretty much the same each day for Hannah. She checks for new messages left by other canine friends along her social network. Sometimes she leaves a reply. She gets excited when she sees another person, dog, or anything breathing, really. Hannah loves life.

    As I clipped the leash to Hannah’s collar this morning, I couldn’t help but notice her enthusiasm. She was happy just to get out and walk. The leash didn’t spoil the anticipation of heading out the door, and despite its restriction, she still found abundant stimulation along the way.
    When we got to the park, it was empty. As usual, we started out by a sign that sternly warned miscreants not to let their dogs run free. Today we were in temporary violation of city code 5544.

    We entered a wooded area on the back side of the park where I felt comfortable letting Hannah run free. She became visibly energized by her liberation.

    She ran ahead of me, spun around, and sprinted back. She spotted a squirrel several yards away and instinctively froze. Her body tensed in anticipation; she crouched down and took a few slow, deliberate steps, stalking her prey.

    Then she bolted full throttle at the squirrel, ears flying in the wind.
    The squirrel darted up a tree and Hannah stopped, looked up, and then turned with an expression of complete satisfaction as she trotted back toward me. She had a doggie smile from ear to ear. Hannah was fully alive when she was off the leash. Her freedom gave her such joy and energy. The squirrels weren’t as keen with the idea.

    When we reached the front part of the park, I called her and reattached the leash. Her body language was still happy, but there was not quite as much spring in her step. The leash again restricted her freedom.
    Hannah’s joyous foray into freedom made me think about my journey with Jesus. I was introduced to faith in Christ in a church that put a legalistic leash on my daily Christian walk.

    Our church leaders reminded me of characters from the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. We did not have the dreaded knights who said, “Ni.” We had the dreaded pastors who said, “No.”
    I’m certain there were several volumes filled with things that were forbidden. Here is a sample platter of no-no’s I was asked to follow.
    NO movies.
    NO drinking.
    NO mixed swimming.
    NO television.
    NO cards.
    NO rock-and-roll music.
    NO smoking.
    NO slacks for women.
    NO long hair for men.
    Corollary: NO short hair for women.

    You get the idea. It’s not surprising that it took me a long time to figure out grace and freedom in Christ. Ironically, there are a few noes in the New Testament that our moralists somehow overlooked. This little “no” verse would have come in handy (capitalization and italics added for emphasis).

    There is NO condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. Romans 8:1-2

    That would have been a refreshing mist of grace to our parched flock. Or how about these “no” verses (capitalization and italics added for emphasis)?
    This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is NO fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:17-19, NIV

    “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” There is NO commandment greater than these.
    Mark 12:30-31, NIV

    Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps NO record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

    I have been crucified with Christ and I NO longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!
    Galatians 2:20-21, NIV

    That is a very different “no” list than the first one.
    NO condemnation.
    NO fear.
    NO commandment greater than to love God and your neighbor.
    NO record of wrongdoing when you love one another.
    NO longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.

    Hannah’s foray off the leash reminded me again of my freedom from the burden of performance-based salvation. Remembering that restores the bounce in my step and spirit. In the freedom of grace, I am realizing and believing who God says I am. When I am unleashed by grace, I understand and trust who God says He is.

    Like Hannah, I could live on my leash of moralism and get by fairly well. I did it for decades. Most of you wouldn’t have noticed my constraints. I would still have fun and enjoy the journey, just as Hannah enjoyed the restricted part of her walk. But why should I accept partial freedom when God is offering complete freedom in His amazing grace?

    Take off whatever leash is holding you back today and run freely in grace. Choose to believe that there is no condemnation in Christ for those who belong to Him. Don’t settle for some self-imposed leash of performance. Hannah would tell you that the real blessing is running with complete freedom.

    God’s grace unhooks the leash and allows you to run unfettered and worship. God loves watching your exuberant liberation in Him. And He enjoys it when you turn and smile toward the heavens with complete satisfaction.

    Enjoy the grace-filled romp of freedom just as Hannah did. Walk (or run with ears flying) to Jesus. Approach Him with confidence, not in fear and shame. Having that relationship allows you to give up your burden of self-sufficiency and let Jesus lead.

    (Excerpted from Stay: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace)

  • ENOUGH! What Can I Do?

    ENOUGH! What Can I Do?

    I am saddened, sickened, and heartbroken as I keep hearing stories like the murder of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia. I have reached the point where I believe that feeling outrage and dismay is no longer enough for followers of Jesus. I want to do something. Today I yield my space to two black brothers in Christ. Montagne McDonald is the teaching pastor at the historic King Solomon Missionary Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Duke Barnett is a respected leader and educator in Garland. I asked these two good and thoughtful men an important question. What can I do as a white brother in Christ to make a difference in our culture? Duke and Montagne, the forum is yours.

    Duke Barnett:

    For me, I wrestle with this topic because so many of my White brothers and sisters recognize the rampant inequalities, racism, and disrespect for people of color. They also recognize God’s love for people of color. However, there are many Whites (and Blacks) who call themselves Christian but are merely wolves in sheep’s clothing. So, that’s a challenge for me.

    Here is my humble opinion with some life-lived experiences sprinkled in.

    1) White people must recognize they have a members of their race/culture who despise people of color and are simply racists. Some of them are wolves in sheep’s clothing as well. They must stop making excuses for them and really just call it like it is. It’s like the old phrase, I must fix my own house before trying to fix someone else’s house.

    2) People of color must come to the realization that we are not innocent either. We often contribute to the oppression of each other. Even some of us in higher tax brackets who may not experience racism at high level, contribute to our oppression by doing things that promotes our own interests and not those of the greater good. After we make it, we sometimes tell our people to “pull yourself up by your bootstraps like I did”. That’s hard for our people when the majority has dealt with systematic racism all of our lives and we can’t buy boots. We people of color have to do better as well with taking care of our own house, race/culture No one else will do it for us.

    We have to speak truth to power and call it like it is. Not just to the other races/cultures, but mainly to our own.

    Montagne McDonald:

    Thank you for having a heart for your brothers and sisters that go beyond lip-service and church-speak. Many of our white brothers and sisters have said they hate racism and love people of color yet remain silent in times like these. It is sometimes hard to know if you have an ally when you cannot find them when they are needed. Silence says more than people think. However, beyond that it is important that our Christian brothers and sisters make an effort to also understand the theological issue of racism and injustice as well. I have heard many times from my white brothers and sisters in ministry that social justice is not of God and is in fact an enemy to Christianity. I believe there is either a misunderstanding of what social justice is, or an unwillingness to accept that there is a need for social justice. When the society we live in has police procedures and laws that make it easier for those who do not see black people as human to perpetrate violence against them, that is an injustice. When we have a judicial system that encourages stacking the deck against the poor as they await sometimes years for a “fair trial” sitting in a prison that is publicly traded, that is an injustice. Our voices should speak against it. Our votes should speak against it. You asked, “What can I do as a white brother or sister in Christ to make a difference in our culture?” You are on the right track. Using your platform to expose the weak spots of our society. Yet, beyond exposure we must seek to actively fight against the systems that continue to victimize the poor and people of color. And we must hold our brothers, sisters, judges, teachers, politicians, and pastors to a higher standard. Our country has the most morally sound ideals the world has ever seen. It is time we hold one another accountable to achieve those lofty standards: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

    Duke Barnett:

    Prayer is an amazing connection between us and God. It’s our “intentional communication” with God! As grandma always told me…prayer changes things. But you know, many of the slaves prayed faithfully…they also took actions. Actions that were rooted in those prayers. The poor and the people of color want and need more than prayer from of White brothers and sisters. We need positive and influential action. #OneLove

    Thank you Duke and Montagne. I know I am a small fish in this social media ocean but I agree with Edward Everett Hale on this issue.

    “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”

    I want to be a voice for those without a voice. I want to call sin by it’s name and I want to offer something better. That something better is the color blind love of Jesus.

    When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:6-8, NLT)

    He died for us.

    All of us.

    It is time for all of us to unite in that truth and stop being silent about hate and prejudice towards our brothers and sisters.

  • Can We Quit Pointing Fingers?

    Can We Quit Pointing Fingers?

    I recently tuned my satellite radio to see what was going in Washington (D)ysfunctional (C)hildren). Within a minute I regretted my decision. Both sides were attacking and demeaning the other’s motives, integrity, and decency. My mood turned sour. Then I flipped to another channel and the first song I heard was a duet from Mandisa and TobyMac.

    These lyrics immediately grabbed my heart.

    Are you left?
    Are you right?
    Pointing fingers, taking sides
    When are we gonna realize?

    We all bleed the same
    We’re more beautiful when we come together
    We all bleed the same
    So tell me why, tell me why
    We’re divided.

    Why indeed? One thing I am sure of is that hateful rhetoric never, ever, ever changes a heart. Followers of Christ have a message of hope and light that is desperately needed. But we get caught up in the politics of our world and too often snuff out that light. I have been guilty more than I care to think about.

    I fear our culture will get darker in the days and months ahead. Followers of Christ have to make a decision. We can decide to complain that Christians are no longer respected and valued in the culture. Or we can decide to show the kind of kindness, forgiveness, grace, and love that early Christians demonstrated to change a hostile culture. Christianity really functions best as the underdog. We can ask God to give us the strength and grace to be a light in the darkness.

    What does that mean? During a British conference on comparative religions, experts from around the world debated what, if any, belief was unique to the Christian faith. They began eliminating possibilities. Incarnation? Other religions had different versions of gods’ appearing in human form. Resurrection? Again, other religions had accounts of return from death. The debate went on for some time until C. S. Lewis wandered into the room. “What’s the rumpus about?” he asked, and heard in reply that his colleagues were discussing Christianity’s unique contribution among world religions. Lewis responded, “Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace.”

    Perhaps the fact that grace and forgiveness are rare commodities in this society is a big reason we see such anger and hopelessness.

    Our natural reaction to those who denigrate our faith is to strike back. Jesus knew this would happen and He had some very radical instructions.

    “But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. (Luke 6:27-28,  NET)

    I wonder what God could do if we followed those words?  And if we remembered that we all created in the image of God but our different experiences and stories divide us. They don’t have to.

    If we’re gonna fight
    Let’s fight for each other
    If we’re gonna shout
    Let love be the cry
    We all bleed the same
    So tell me why, tell me why
    We’re divided

    Henri Nouwen is exactly right with this statement. “If anyone should ask you what are the most radical words in the gospel, you need not hesitate to reply: “Love your enemies.” It’s these words that reveal to us most clearly the kind of love proclaimed by Jesus.”

    It is time to quit pointing fingers. If we are going to fight let’s fight for each other. I want to represent the kind of love proclaimed by Jesus. We all bleed the same.

  • Lean On Me

    Lean On Me

    Life happens, John Lennon famously said, when you are making other plans. Boy has life been happening to us in recent weeks!


    Waterbrook Bible Fellowship chose the Monday musing topic today. Sunday’s streaming service ended with the song “Lean On Me”. The lyrics might not be found in a dusty old hymnal but the words sung by Bill Withers are spot on for this season.

    Sometimes in our lives
    We all have pain
    We all have sorrow

    Lean on me, when you’re not strong
    And I’ll be your friend
    I’ll help you carry on

    I write a lot about grace in community. Some say too much. To be honest, I have had moments when I wondered if living in community with messy people is worth it. I have come to understand why legalism is so much easier than grace. Legalism allows me to assess the situation and then apply a verse, assign a task and move away in self-righteous expectation. If that person rejects that Biblical admonition or task then legalism allows me to withdraw because they are disobedient. Grace does not give me that option. Grace demands that I move toward the struggle of my brother or sister and not away in judgment. No wonder grace is a tough sell.

    That is the glorious dichotomy of grace. Grace wears me out and lifts me up. Grace frustrates and exhilarates.  My old nature screams that people who make bad decisions over and over get what they “deserve”. They don’t “deserve” to be pursued and loved and restored. They made their bed now let them lay in it. But there is a small quiet voice in my heart that tells me that they have value. That they are loved by their Creator. And that voice asks who am I to decide who “deserves” anything?

    A quote by Pastor Paul Donnan says it far better than I ever could.

    Grace doesn’t treat us better than we deserve. It treats us without the slightest reference to what we deserve. Grace ceases to be grace if God withdraws it upon any human failure. If Grace is in any way tied to something you do, then it is no longer a gift but a wage, and that’s not grace.

    And, to be selfish, the lyrics of Bill Withers tells me why it is in my own best interest to give grace willingly.

    I’ll help you carry on
    For it won’t be long
    Till I’m gonna need
    Somebody to lean on

    Yep. It is just a matter of time until I will be begging for grace for some stupid action or word. Paul knew that was true and reminded the Galatian Church.

    Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. (Galatians 6, The Message)

    Why are we so willing to receive grace and not extend it? Maybe the next lyric has a clue.

    Please swallow your pride
    If I have things you need to borrow
    For no one can fill those of your needs
    That you won’t let show

    Pride. Pride causes us to cover our needs because that would show weakness. Pride tells us to wear a mask of false joy so that others won’t know our shame and sin and need. Our Father in Heaven designed this journey to be lived in community. God knows that we need Him and we need one another. So drop the mask of false joy for the approved mask of virus prevention and sing along in muffled harmony.

    We all need somebody to lean on
    I just might have a problem
    That you’ll understand

    We all need somebody to lean on

    Yes it is hard to walk with the wounded. Yes it is frustrating to watch messy people make the same mistakes over and over. Yes it is tiring to give grace to the needy. But my heart’s desire remains the same. These words in Hebrews wrap it up nicely.

    And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. (Hebrews 13:16)

    Do the right thing. Help those in need. Pleasing God.

    We all need one another and especially now. Love God this week by being kind to some of His children.

    Want to be more connected to God and one another. Click here.