So I was speaking with a new acquaintance last week. She told how her husband had just gone through a heart attack and is now in rehab and what a struggle the past month has been.  I commented how great it is that he’s on the road to recovery and fortunate that she is by his side.

Her next statement has been rattling through my head since she said it “well, I told him God gave him a 2nd chance so he better be really good and not mess it up”. 

I thought she was joking since God doesn’t give us a ‘be good or else’ type salvation. I said something about how great is it that even if her husband isn’t ‘good’ that he’s still held by the Father. She looked at me like I was crazy and said ‘Yeah, right. Like it works that way’ and left.

I’ve been haunted by this exchange. I didn’t get a chance to speak with her further since she left the facility. But it made me realize how many of us may operate in our daily lives with this belief….or even more so—know this is false but continue to act like its true.

Ever have these thoughts run through your head:
• “I better not mess up again. Surely God has had enough of me and all my problems”
• “I lived through this situation by God’s grace—I better work a lot harder to keep Him happy from now on.”
• “God only has so much patience so this time, finally, I better get it right”

Or perhaps you’ve had someone comment to you:
• “Well, you’re one of those church Christian types, so you probably don’t have issues like I do. You wouldn’t get it.”
• “You Christians act like you’re so great but you’re all hypocrites since I know some Christians that do a lot more bad stuff than I do”

Whenever these type exchanges happen, it always saddens me. The depth of misunderstanding so many people have of Jesus followers. Some think we’re all ‘better’ or pretend to be better. Others see what train wrecks many of us are and use it as an excuse that we’re no better than anyone else, so we must be hypocrites.

I know, there are a zillion examples and I’m sure you’ve experienced some in your life as well.

This screams something to me—we have to let them know! Know they are not stuck in their current choices as a permanent prison. There is a way out.

Let them know there is more…much more than hanging out at a church on Sunday. There is something very real that can change their lives, just as it has every believer.

Yes, Christians make mistakes-we all know this. We are human and mess up—some of us a lot more than others (okay, so that was intended for me!)

But when others watch us in our struggle—the unwed pregnant teen daughter, the unkind words, the drug addiction, the cheating spouse, the financial dishonesty,etc . Of course, these are all examples of things none of us want but sometimes happens.

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We are on a mission, I know. Our mission field is whoever we have contact with on a daily basis. To show them a different way, a different mindset, a freedom they’ve never had before. Yes, a true freedom.

Not something you make up and follow your ‘own’ spiritual journey and redefine who God is based on what you want.

This is an important task friends! We are called to go forth…even in our daily mundane routines. Even when we think no one is watching. Others need to see we are saved by His grace and not our own actions.

I encourage you to reach out to someone you normally wouldn’t this week. Not to unleash a sermon on them, but just a word of encouragement, something to let them know they have value. Many people are so broken they feel there is no value left in them. Or they don’t do enough ‘good’ anymore.

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit… Titus 3:3-5

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

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