We who have received grace…

The other day I came across a video where two women proceeded to share about a certain type of parent.
I can’t recall the exact title that this parent was given, but these women worked their way through several points that were key ways to identify if you grew up with such a parent.

As I listened to them speak, my playful curiosity became more somber and I found myself dearly hoping that my own children never come across such a video in the future.

Why? Because though I hope and pray every day to avoid such behaviors that could cause pain and hurt in my children, I also know my great ability to fall flat on my face.

I will hurt them. I will give them countless reasons to be bitter if they are so inclined. I will provide opportunity for them to be sanctified.

And as I continued to read the next steps that these women offered, I found a list of rules to put in place and mantras to remind yourself of.

I found a list of reminders of your rights as the injured party.

A hollow fix. A lonely road. A way that will not lead to life and freedom.

I found myself hoping and praying that my own children know that there is so much more available to them when it comes to healing from the hurts I will cause them.

Because the Gospel offers so much more than a self-help process. Yet, how easily we mix in their advice with that of our Creator’s.

And while practical steps can be a support, there’s a healing that reaches far beyond boundaries and mantras and self-talk.

There’s a redeeming God that takes rebellious sinners and turns them into Heaven-worthy saints.

There is a grace that a perfect God extends to me in my daily mess without any strings attached and he bids me to do likewise.

We are in danger the moment we forget to ask, have I a measure of this too, no matter how small.

There is a God who sent His son to die a gruesome, bloody death to set me free from my hell-bent, rebellious ways.

Without Christ, I am no better than the very worst of sinners.

And here in our world full of catchy videos and self-help minutes from influencers we know precious little about, I would urge us all to give pause and reflect.

Because no amount of fixing and no process will be able to bring about real spiritual growth.
No amount of following another’s key steps will bring you around to being a whole and healthy human. Only Christ does that.

You and I were born a sinner into a world of sinners and we will hurt people and people will hurt us.
How we navigate it all will be the truest revelation of where our own hearts are at.

Will we utilize the riches that Christ supplies to deal with sinful people? Will we remember that He walked among us, that He gave Himself up for broken, angry people in order to usher them into unity with Him?

Or will we turn to what a world full of flawed people advise and try to work our way out of every potential hurt that we have or will face in this life.

We all would do well to remember the grace that has been extended to us —unfathomable, unmerited, undeserved.

Go and do likewise, my friend.

For there is no greater freedom available than the freedom of a forgiving heart who understands well the grace that has been poured out on their own sinful life.

That understanding will set us all free to live a life that this world can only dream of.

To pray for those who persecute us.
To wrestle against the truer enemy.
To love with a love that bears all things.
To bless when we are reviled.

To show them again and again that we belong to Christ and that brings a security that nothing of this world can touch.