Show Others God's Grace
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. -- Ephesians 2:14
What celebrity or public person do you think is least likely to ever know Jesus as Lord and Savior? Why do you say that? Do you think they’re too far from Jesus? Have they done bad things? Maybe they’ve laughed off Christianity? Maybe you’ve simply decided they’re unworthy?
We all have invisible walls around us. Some of the walls are natural and define who we are in terms of spouse, parent, child, co-worker, etc. Other walls come from those around us. We tend to unconsciously pick up prejudices and likes and dislikes, especially from our parents and teachers.
Other walls spring up as we live our lives. We look down on people who are struggling financially -- or who are super successful. We may dislike people who are a different color, speak a different language or dress differently than we do. We look at the exterior and make a quick judgment, whether we’re aware of it or not.
The same is true when we look at the past actions of people. We assume a kid in trouble will turn into an adult in trouble. We know that a recovering alcoholic will turn to the bottle once more. A thief is always a thief. A liar will always lie. We condemn without regard to our own past failures.
Jesus tore the curtain in two. It’s gone. We are one with Him. All of us who believe. There are no walls between God and His people. Jesus sacrificed Himself for us. Me and you. So why do we think that anyone is beyond the reach, beyond the grace, beyond the forgiveness, of God? Because no one has ever fallen too far or done too much to find grace at the cross.
It’s easy to hide ourselves behind our walls. They’re comfortable. But we’re not called to be comfortable. We’re called to love others as God loves us. So tear down the walls. Reach out to people who are different from you. Forgive someone who has wronged you -- again. Show others the grace that God has shown you.
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