Food for Thought

After reading a friend's blog post, I sort of had an "aha" moment... you know, one of those moments when something just hits you.  Something that you should have known, and you sort of did know, but you never really realized it.  Anyways, as Christians, it has been made clear to me that we make things more complicated then they really are.  We sit and contemplate whether what we've done or what we're about to do is "Christian," whether its good or bad, whether we'll get punished or rewarded, or what I was always afraid of as a little kid: Is God standing up there with a big eraser, ready to erase my name out of the Book of Life as soon as I screw up?

I'm not sure why, but I think that through the church I was raised to believe that if I did the wrong things, if I messed up just once, I would be out.  God was gunna take one of those jumbo pink erasers and just erase my name right out of the "Book of Life."  Now I know that this wasn't my parents or family's doing.  I've been blessed with an amazing family; my immediate family, and both sides of my extended family.  I've learned a lot through their actions, and I've grown in my faith with their encouragement and guidance.  But that's not my point here...

My point is, God's not up there, just waiting for me to mess up.  Instead He's eagerly waiting to extend grace to me, grace that I know for a fact I need.  Grace that I've experienced day in and day out, in big ways and in small.  This is a grace that none of us deserve.  So many times I just can't comprehend this, and it frustrates me.  But I think I'm beginning to understand it a little bit.  Now there is no way I will ever fully comprehend God's grace.  But I can think of one way...

How about extending grace to others?  I believe that God has created us to be simply who he has created us to be (if that makes any sense).  He hasn't created us to follow this rule, say the right thing, avoid that situation. He's created us to show to others what he has shown to us, through the gifts and talents he has given us.  So instead of condemning someone when they've done me wrong, and holding a grudge, shouldn't I extend to them the grace that my God has more than willingly extended to me?  Shouldn't I show them- and not just them, everyone I come in contact with- the love that Christ has shown me?

I think there's more to this, but I haven't fully "gotten" it...not yet.  This love isn't a superficial love.  I think that we are beginning to get this. You can see it everywhere.  More and more we're reaching out.  Reaching out to those in Africa with HIV/AIDS.  Reaching out to the people in our community who are less fortunate.  Helping others who desperately need our help.  I'm beginning to see that our churches are no longer "building churches."  Or at least they shouldn't be.  We can't keep sitting in our pews, hearing the same sermons over and over again.  You can't have faith without action.  

Right?