Amazing Grace

Jesus is the heart of the mystical life, giving us new dimensions to explore. In Him we do not take flight from our world, but reenter it with a divine mission: to love people as Jesus loved them.

- James M. Houston, Joyful Exiles

God says in Ezekiel 20:44 "You will know that I am the Lord, O people of Israel, when I have honored my name by treating you mercifully in spite of your wickedness . . ."

Likewise, the world will know that we are of the One True God when we honor Him in loving and showing mercy to one another despite our horrible and cruel deficiencies. The truth is that we are horrible and cruel when left to our own. If you ever begin to believe otherwise, consider once again the flesh-torn, thorn-crowned Jesus nailed to a cross.

Yet as with all things by God's gracious design, there is blessing even among a curse. Were we to live in a world of relationships that never soured and were never spoiled by our failed humanity, we would never have the opportunity to walk out the difficult truths we claim to believe.

We can "count it all joy" because for our sake, for our very sanctification, we are being tested, refined and approved as we are granted abundant chances to live, walk, speak and forgive as Christ. And in this is accomplished by mystery -- which to us is the greatest reality -- the death, destruction and complete demise of our old sinful self.

By all of this, the hope set before us is that one day nothing will remain but what fully resembles Jesus Himself in us.

Not too long ago, I read Amish Grace, which recounted the incredible forgiveness demonstrated by the Amish community after the Nickel Mines schoolhouse shooting in Pennsylvania. Not only did the Amish speak forgiveness toward the man who killed the youngest and most innocent among them before taking his own life, but within hours of the shooting, they went to his family, embraced his wife and parents and extended grace, compassion and the opportunity for restored relationship.

Far from being shunned and despised, the shooter's wife was actually one of only a few "outsiders" invited to the funeral of one of the victims.

In reading the book, I was of course amazed at the level of conviction held by the Amish for Matthew 6:14-15 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins," in that it led them to fully live out their faith and to leave vengeance to God.

But the most extraordinary thing to me, as recorded in the book, wasn't necessarily the merciful response of the Amish, but how greatly the nation took notice of it. The resounding question in the media and from the "man on the street" was "How can they do that?"

There were debates and disputes about the answer. But, I believe that at the deepest level, most, if not all who heard about the Amish response, recognized that mere humanity is incapable of that measure of mercy. And even for the ones that considered but could or would not admit to involvement of the Divine, I think the Amish community's faith in action drew their hearts in the direction of the Author of Grace.

So it can be with us, and I pray that we will allow it to be. For when we love through our hurt and disappointment, through our despair and disillusionment, we become a signpost to Christ.

"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men" (Luke 6:35).