Testimony of Living

I have been teaching on community at The Awakening the last three weeks and as I shared before we are recognizing 4 spaces of community: Public, Social, Personal and Intimate.  Thinking about practical applications of these four spaces, I had a thought: as we move down the spectrum from Public toward Intimate community, we need grace.

Let me explain.  In public community (where you do not share much information about yourself, such as a large Sunday morning congregation) you don't really get "involved" in people's lives to much.  If you do, you may be offensive or at least inappropriate. We don't want to hear about ones depths of self deprecation in a large group setting like this. Your purpose in these setting is not to build friendships so if someone does offend, you simply make a mental note to not sit down next to "20 questions, bad breath, and stalker glasses guy" next week,  and move on quickly.   Not a lot of "grace" is needed in that situation. (By grace, I mean the ability to love when it is not deserved.)  This persons welfare does not impact your health or growth as an individual and you will not to dwell on that interaction for the rest of the week. (That kind of sounds cold, doesn't it?  Am I wrong though?) 

But let's flip the spectrum and say Mr. 20 questions is your husband!  Then what?  GRACE BABY!  All kinds of Grace.  Grace enough to play 40 questions.  Grace enough to serve that person and get little in return.  Grace enough to begin enjoying the question game.  Grace enough to buy all kinds of gum and cool hipster glasses for him.  Grace enough to actually love in a greater way than possibly thought. Not because He embarrasses you, but because you want the best for him.  You want  him to experience growth and healthy relationship with you and others. 

Okay, now let's be honest, really honest.  We are all "20 questions, bad breath stalker glasses guy" to some extent.  Yes maybe we ask fewer questions, chew some Orbit, and can afford Lasik, but we are all human, which means we all have baggage and sin.  When it come to our intimate relationships (those people who know the most about us and we share our lives with) we need grace!  We need all kinds of it.  We need Grace Runneth over!  This is why that first year of marriage is so hard.  All of a sudden the best foot forward lands and the worst foot swings through with a kick. The more you know someone, the more you see their humanity - their flaws, baggage and sin, and the more grace you need to give them.  That is love at work, when it's least deserved.

And the final twist to ensure you see the redemptive perspective - that is the Christian worldview, Christ has a ton of Grace doesn't he.  So much Grace that he chooses to become intimately involved in the lives of sinners with baggage.  He gives us so much grace, that he says, "come as you are, I will love you like no one else can, and you will grow."  You see, His Grace really is sufficient enough for us to grow, and for us to share with others.

Imagine what your world would look like if you shared Grace.  What would your marriage look like, if there was more grace?  What would your job environment look like?  What would family vacation or thanksgiving dinner look like with more grace?  How would your children react with more grace?  How would your parents react with more grace?

Grace changes people. Lord I need more Grace.

For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ(Rom 5:17)