Obedience and a hunger for Grace

 God must have a sense of humor.  writing right now is an act of obedience... one that took me far to long to move in today.  I distract myself with so many things then late at night I ask... well, what do you want me to write about?... obedience... ouch!!!

In these times, when life is so confusing maybe?  It's hard for me to move through the molasses of my day and function.  After taking a covid break from people, it's hard to figure out how to reengage.  I'm not sure I want to!    People have become so rage full and unforgiving.  I find myself hungering for grace.  Grace... yes from God but perhaps more so from the people around me.  I remember, a long time ago now, when I was pregnant with my first born.  I often took the bus downtown to shop or get some fresh air.  When I got on the bus people fell all over themselves to offer me, an obviously pregnant woman, a seat.  

Fast forward a few years and I was on a Southwest flight and the stewardess asked if someone would give up their seat because there was a family with two small children who needed to be seated together.  Though I was traveling alone, so I was of no help.  But there were many who had the ability though not the willingness to offer their seat.  Why is it that we see ourselves as more advanced, a better society now?  I miss kindness!

How are grace and obedience connected?  I think grace is often not our knee jerk reaction.  perhaps it isn't intentional, but how often to we think of another's circumstance as more important than our own?  Offering grace requires that you are a mind awake.  I believe that obedience is the caffeine that does just that.  It draws our eyes out of the looking glass and focuses them on service.

Hebrews 5:8 says, "though He (Jesus) was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered." Obedience is hard earned.  It costs a lot.  It takes practice.  It must be learned, learned and relearned.  I need to start again... today

Incompotent or in need of mentoring?

I tend to be a truth-based person.  I lean on the truth part of Ephesians 4:15  which encourages us to speak the truth in love.  My husband leans on the mercy part. It is a good blend.  He helps me live a life of compassion. I help him to give with wisdom.  This last week has been a test of our capacity to offer grace being "Wise as serpents and harmless as doves"  (Matthew 10:16) 

During a big windstorm, a tree fell on our house.  It was a big tree doing damage to the structure of the roof.  We hired roofers to repair the damage... they hired someone else, who hired some young, inexperienced kids to accomplish the task.  These young inexperienced (maybe in their early 20s) people had no common sense and our house has suffered huge water damage as a result.  Ugh! what a mess! My reaction, well, wasn't pretty.  It's funny, at this point I see at least some people thinking less of us for not choosing more competent workers.  I have to say that we have spend much of our lives in a small town where you know everyone and you know who does good work and who doesn't.  We felt a bit lost in the choosing but we picked someone we thought to be reputable, I still think they are reputable.  I will change my mind if they don't do what it takes to make it right.

My husband's response was to get up on the roof and join in the work of rebuilding the roof.  He has the experience and ability just not the time.  He spent the day with these young people and came home with a heart full of compassion saying what they needed was mentoring.  They worked hard for him and he enjoyed his day.  He offered grace, modeling and direction and they blossomed under his kindness.  How do you quantify that? I am humbled by his response.  It reminds me of Jesus' response in Matthew 9:36 "But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd."

There is more to do, somehow figuring out what will be paid for in cleaning up after the deluge that poured into our house. But one thing I know.  Grace is like living water poured onto the heads of those who are suffering in this world with no purpose or direction.

Through a comedy of errors an inexperience we have suffered violation.  No one set out to violate us.  Shock and anger are what first rises up in me but I have been blessed to again see grace and kindness win out,  I am so grateful for the times when I have been given grace instead of condemnation.  I am also blessed to be the observer in another's dance of grace.