I'm a softy for grace. I love it! I love an apology that melts the angry heart. Grace is like magic to me, it's a clean cut through strife. And that's how I know I guess that God is in the center of it, driving the heart toward peace. No other concept, noun, and verb can penetrate anger as well as brokenness. See? Magic.
At work today my friends and I were talking about people that constantly get away with bad behavior and crazy choices. My co-worker asked the question, "Why do you think God protects people like that," and I had to stop and ponder why as well. Why would someone get away with whatever "it" is while the innocent suffer? And suddenly I remembered one of my most favorite things Jeff has taught me. He told me once that our entire lives are God's pursuit of us. The E-N-T-I-R-E length of our lifespan is chased by God. He doesn't see levels of sinful actions, just sin. And he definitely sees us all the same, broken humans needing Him. Some know it and some don't, but regardless we are in the same boat of life.
We of course have penalties here on earth for our actions and different choices render different punishments. So it's natural for us to assume that God protects us with grace because we think we are not that bad. I lie and gossip sometimes but I've never killed someone or broken up a marriage so I'm different. I deserve grace and I'm sorry when I screw up. I'm one of the good ones. (No, Kate...) But what about those that show no remorse and have actions that don't result in the consequences we believe are due them? That's when we ask questions like my friend asked. And that's when we hopefully remember the power of grace and not our false sense of goodness.
I don't know why God does the things he does. I don't want to know. I just want to constantly remember that God wants our hearts, ALL of the hearts that walk this earth. Grace is one of His greatest tools and the best reminder to each of us that none are deserving of it.
