Dispensers of Grace

God's mercy and grace give me hope - for myself, and for our world.

                                                                                      ~ Billy Graham

When I was a child, I remember having a substitute teacher named Mr. Barnhouse.
He was old-school. 
He had a strong, powerful voice.
He wore a jacket and tie every day. 
He was strict.
But there was one thing he did before every class - he opened it up with a prayer.
And this wasn't some limp-wristed prayer about general 'thankfulness' to some benevolent, indescribable god. 
No, this was a powerful prayer given on behalf of a servant to the Lord of the Ages.

Speaking of God or church or even personal faith among the teachers and students in elementary school was very common back then; although I noticed when my children went through the same level of public school, such talk had all but disappeared.


Yet, I can remember as a child, nearly all the kids went to some type of church.
I can even remember kids asking others if they had ever been baptized.

It never once occurred to me that I would one day grow up and find myself among the Christian population in a society that is growing increasingly hostile towards the believing minority.
And the issue is becoming more and more as to how we are to give grace to a people, a society, even a government who does not like us as Christians.

This time of year spurns many preachers like to proclaim from the pulpit how American Christians need to take their country back to our 'roots,' since we were founded as a 'Christian' nation. The other option for preachers is to 'run down' America and prophetically proclaim that the nation is headed to hell in a hand basket.
These two sermon options are not mutually exclusive.

One can claim through the writings and quotes of America's Founding Fathers the influence of Christianity; yet, another can produce just as many Founding Father's words nearing blasphemy on the same subject - often from the same Founder.
At the very least, if we are honest, we can say that the founders, the courts and throughout most of our history as Americans, even the non-religious have held to a quasi-Christian worldview.
Even Chief Justice Earl Warren, who was by no means a Conservative-Evangelical, stated with regard to the state constitutions throughout America that this nation was 'A Christian land governed by Christian principles.'

While we do have daily reminders of our religious heritage, gone are the days of teachers leading in a private devotional prayer before class. Gone are the times when a politician claims faith to thunderous applause rather than ridicule and suspicion. 

In fact, today's court seems much more the church's antagonist instead of its friend once known in yesteryear; especially since this past week's ruling from the Supreme Court giving homosexuals the 'fundamental right' to engage in marriage.

One of the duties of a Christian is to praise our government when it does right and preach to it when it does wrong - moral, inherent wrong against nature and man.

But Christians are clearly divided on this issue; the reason is because Christians are divided on the role of Scripture and its importance and authority.
Yet, if Scripture is the Holy Word of God given to man as the absolute, infallible truth of God; it can never be wrong because God is never wrong. The Christian, if honestly looking through Biblical lenses, must conclude that the Supreme Court has made a horrible mistake, offended Almighty God and has set the American people on a dangerous path.

Let's be clear, this is not the same issue as a generation ago concerning interracial marriages.
Racism in any form, is an issue of the heart; hatred towards any person because of their skin color or any other reason is a heart issue only solved by the Gospel.
The issue of homosexual 'marriage' is a political issue, although some would differ with that statement.

But what is the individual Christian supposed to do about it?
Without question, the most discriminated person in the last 30 years by the Church and Christians has been the individual homosexual.
The man or woman who claims to be gay is not the issue; the issue is now how are you and I going to react in grace, love, mercy and kindness towards those with whom we disagree and has the support of the government?

Scripture takes different tones and different means with dealing with those 'sinners' and the governments who support them rather than God's people.
Elijah hid in caves, fearing for his life after opposing a wicked government in Israel and ordering the death of 400 pagan prophets. 
On the other side of the nation, a man named Obadiah didn't run from the government authorities, he was on the inside of the King's court and worked within the system for God's people.
Jonah was once given a message for Nineveh; knowing God's grace he refused to go there wanting God to exact judgement on the 'heathens,' instead of forgiving them.
Then there was Daniel, a man whom worked for the heathens; not just once but for three different pagan kings who ruled over God's people.

If a Christian takes a long, honest look at how the Biblical men and women responded to temporal situations on earth during their life, anybody can see that God used them in different ways at different times for His Glory and the preservation of His people.

Yet, among them all, one thing is certain whether their time or ours; the displaying and giving of grace, mercy and forgiveness in Godly love is the primary duty of the people of God toward those who are part of the fallen world.

The problem though, is the fact that we don't do a very good job of dispensing grace to others.

In looking to Jesus, our namesake and our Lord, the person was always more important than any category we may place them in on earth.

In the military, there has been a quiet/not-so-quiet debate about tattoos.
Some believe it doesn't matter, others believe you shouldn't have any tattoos showing in uniform, some think it's OK as long as it isn't offensive or on the neck/face area....and on and one the debate goes.
I use to have an opinion about it, but one day I saw a picture of Arlington National Cemetery and I noticed beneath those stone crosses and stars of David, under the finely trimmed grass atop the sod, I could not tell which men had tattoos and which men didn't.
All that mattered in that place was their willingness to give themselves for something they believed was greater than their individual life - you and me.

This is sort of the attitude I've taken toward homosexuals; why should I despise a homosexual just because his or her sin is different than mine?

My responsibility before the Lord is not to make laws or to judicially decided such things; my duty to the Lord Jesus Christ is to dispense grace to the fallen man or woman He places before me.
Therefore, anything that drives out love and mercy cannot be His grace; for, without God's love in the mix, any truth I may try to display or teach will be in vain.

Choosing mercy and grace, being committed to God's love rather than my prejudice does not mean all things are in perfect harmony.
Nothing in the world has been in perfect harmony since the Fall of Man in the Garden, except those times when Jesus made them so.
But may I remind you that since our beginning, Christianity has lived in tension with the government and its authorities; Jesus died at the hands of a state execution.
As did many of the first & second generation of Christians.

Due to the recent Supreme Court ruling, many evangelical Christians are shocked and appalled; they are confused and hurt. Millions of people feel further betrayed by a government that they seen as increasingly hostile to their faith and way of life.
But the people who need the grace, mercy and forgiveness of God are still the same people who needed it a week ago, a month ago, a year ago.
And they do not need the stereotypical Christian as portrayed by the media - ignorant, angry, backwards.

You see, men and women who are hurting, or engaging in sin, or lost in life - these do not need a Divine Watchmaker type of God who just set things in motion years ago and now watches it from afar.
They need, we need - grace, love and mercy with forgiveness founded in Truth.
We need a God who understands.

The only way those who need the Gospel are going to meet a God who understands is through the Salt & Light embedded in the world through God's agents of grace in the Body of Christ.
We are to be Dispensers of Grace; nothing more, nothing less and nothing else.

And remember, regardless of what is happening in the political world and in societal evolution that seems to stand against the Body of Christ and our Biblical worldview, just remember that if the gates of Hell cannot prevail against the Church, then modern politicians don't stand a chance. 

Until next time, win one for the good guys.