"Grace is not a reward, it's a gift."Continuing on with the subject of grace I would like to grace-fully approach being grace-filled people.
Church rules-don't do this, don't go there, don't be seen with them-enslave us and put us in bondage.
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But what if?
What if we did the unimaginable and welcomed people from different backgrounds, color, class?
What if there was no longer a dividing line between us and them.
Grace, it's not a reward for keeping all of your sins neat and tidy and for following all the rules. We can NEVER follow all the rules that's the beauty of grace.
It's so crazy and undeserved.
Whom among any of us would be called good enough?
What if we dared to follow grace and love instead of rules that have become our master?
What kind of radical love can you show someone today that is hurting or in a rough spot in their life?
Do you know of someone going through a divorce? Could you be the person that listens without judgement?
Do you think it will ever be possible for women to love and accept THEMSELVES enough to truly LOVE and accept other women, flaws and all?
God says we can't fully love others unless we love ourselves. And loving ourselves starts with Him. (1John 4:19, 1 John 4:7-8, John 13:34,35)
Being grace-filled means being love-filled.
Until then there will always be jealousy, gossip, bitterness, and envy.
There will be a part of us that is happy when another woman falters and fails because in some weird unknowingly way it makes us feel better about ourselves.
Are we happy because our sin is still hidden, tucked away safe and secure?
In the Christian churches we make bubbles. We don't mean to they just happen. We make friends, close friends, because we have found people that value the same things that we do. It gets real easy to polish up the outside and "look"like we have it all together.
I want to issue you a challenge. A challenge to make friends outside of your normal circles. With people that aren't christians, with people that left the church because the church hurt them in some way.
With people that look absolutely nothing like you!
A challenge to walk and talk like Jesus. To eat with the "sinners"the lowly and poor among us.
We were all outcasts before Jesus. Only because of him are we now accepted.
"The church is the place where outsiders are no longer strangers but friends, where all are welcomed and everyone finds connection. There, the lowly are lifted up and the destitute given plenty. And those who have been pushed aside find themselves pulled right up to a prime seat at the King's table." (Excerpt from In Touch)
There is no room for judgement or favoritism, not in God's kingdom and surely not in His church.
Today let's choose to be so full of crazy grace that others can't help but be changed by it!

Linking with: Three Word Wed, #TellHisStory, Thought Provoking Thursday