Let's bring back Grace!

Let’s bring back Grace.  Colossians 3.12-14

Good Morning! 

I always choose my clothes with care; the way I look probably matters way too much.  And obviously, I don’t leave home without my clothes!  Paul tells us that since we are God’s children, we should clothe ourselves carefully. 

“You are the people of God; he loved you and chose you for his own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you. And to all these qualities add love, which binds all things together in perfect unity.”  [GNT]

Zoom out with me a moment, and listen as Paul dictates from prison to his scribe, ‘Let your gracious gentleness be known to all men.’¹  ‘Gracious gentleness’ comes from the Greek word, epieikeia.  In other texts, the word is used to mean ‘graciousness, forbearance, softness, patience, gentleness . . . or a different response than straight-line justice though justice is warranted.’ Paul is admonishing his people to Be merciful to others.  Friends, the world around us is crying out for mercy!

The common dictionary definition of mercy is 'compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.'  More often than not, the term mercy is used interchangeably with compassion, but alas it is more than that!   When it would seem like judgment is eminent, the judge decides to pardon instead—he chooses to give mercy.  Jesus said, "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."²   I want to be shown mercy... do you?

In order to give mercy, I believe one has to experience mercy.  Paul had experienced God’s mercy, and so he could teach about it.  God wasn’t initially so gentle with Paul, knocking him to the ground on the road to Damascus in order to get his attention … in order to get him to close his mouth, and open his mind to the truth of Jesus Christ.   But it was all to extend to him the tender mercy of eternal salvation.  That same salvation message Paul took on the road and across the waters, establishing churches as he went.  Paul’s message posed a threat to Rome, and landed him in the prison as he writes, ‘Rejoice in the Lord, again I say, rejoice.  Let your gracious gentleness be known to all men.  The Lord is near.’ 

Christ would say to us, ‘Hey Christian, wake up—don’t let your pettiness be the reason someone else wants nothing to do with Christianity; don’t let your hate-speak drive people from the church.  Look for the things you are for, not just against.  Look for ways to encourage and bless one another in my name!’

Oh, Friends, we are to be light in the world.  Light draws and attracts, it does not repel.  Be joyful, Christian, an let your joy be seen.  Do not be the excuse someone needs to stay away from Jesus, rather be gracious, be merciful, Christian!  Look for ways to embrace, to extend compassion, to include rather than exclude; let your life be characterized by joy, and look for ways to give away joy, joy, joy!  Let’s bring back graciousness in our treatment of one another—like when we accept our change from a salesclerk, when our mate comes home in the afternoon, when our coworker seems uptight and possibly even defensive in manner—let’s choose to extend grace.

In the name of the One who IS Grace,

Christine

1)    Philippians 4.5

2)   Matthew 5.7