You have been in the situation I was in the other day. The older couple in front of me in line at the grocery store was taking their sweet ol’ time getting their act together. I had just spent a good amount of time searching for the necessary items in isles that I am not familiar with. I was frustrated because they didn’t seem to care that all I wanted to do was to go home. They were slow…and slow equals BAD!
I left the grocery store after I ran through an argument in my head. How inconsiderate….Don’t they know that people were waiting on them. It was inconvenient.
Where was the grace in my attitude?
As a pastor, I do everything I can to talk up my church and make sure people know how loving we are… Our church is one that anyone can come and experience grace. I always hope people will show up on a Sunday and sense this fact. As I walked back to my car, I began to think about this concept of grace. Is grace something that is only confined to Sunday morning? Is it a gimmick that can sell a new comer on yet another worship community?
The fact is I, more than anyone else, tend to compartmentalize the Gospel to a truth that is most applicable in church. BUT, when I am out in the real world….what actions can I show that back up the words that I preach?
I am convinced that we, as believers, need portable grace. If this message that we believe is actually true…then it should affect our life more than just an hour on Sunday morning… Christianity was born from a grace we did not earn or deserve. It was given to us without merit…so why are we so stingy to give it? Reflect on this today.
Don’t invite people to church if you are not willing to be the church in front of people….
