Lately I have been thinking about what it truly looks like for humans to extend the grace of Christ to one another. I will first admit that I in no way come anywhere close to exhibiting even miniscule amount of the grace that Christ calls me to. I have alot of ideals but very rarely put them into practice.
In my Urban ministry class we discussed the concept of the "Worthy Poor". Those individuals who are doing all that they can for themselves but simply can't make ends meet, or the ones who are mentally unstable so clearly they could not help themselves. Those are the people that we logically help in our 'can-do' society. The other ones aren't even trying, so why should we extend our hand? Won't they just waste our time and money anyways? We don't want to foolishly spend our money on someone, we don't want to waste our time helping someone, when we could help another of a more worthy cause. But I wonder if as a Christ Follower if I should be foolish in the manner in which I extend grace? If someone asks for money, should I give it to them? I have more. What is $3 going to do? It seems to me less about the money and more about seeing that person...not ignoring their existance as a fellow human being. If a young woman needs a ride do I stop car? What if it isn't safe? If I have a mountain of homework, but a schizophrenic man wants to talk to me at the grocery store do I ward him off? He's not grounded in reality anyway.
I had a friend who let a homeless woman stay in her house for a while. After a few weeks, my friend returned home one day to find that she has been robbed by this woman to whom she had extended hospitatlity. I feel like I would want to respond by shutting my door and globalizing this woman's actions; "I should have known, they are all like this". But she didn't...her doors are still open. That is the kind of grace that I would like to extend. That is the kind of grace that Christ would have me extend. It is foolish and and if loves deeply. It depises favortism It continues to be life giving even as the hands of death grasp at it.
3 comments:
Good thoughts. Thanks for sharing.
Courtney,I have been struggling with the concept of grace lately! Probably not the concept exactly but extending grace in a Christ like manner,just not when it is convenient for me or when I think someone deserves it. Where would we be if not for Christs grace towards us? Love,mom<><
No way...you had a schizophrenic come up to you in the store too.
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