/************** REMOVE THIS TO UNHIDE THE BLOGGER NAVBAR **************** **/ #b-navbar {height:0px;visibility:hidden;display:none} /** *************************************************************************
July 31, 2006
posted by David Meigs at 7/31/2006 12:01:00 AM

.

.
Grace made the best marinara sauce I’ve ever tasted. She used ripe tomatoes, onions, sausage and spices that she simmered for hours. Mmm, it was sooo good!

But today I’m not going to talk about THAT Grace (though her sauce was awesome). I want to talk about the kind of grace we extend to others and especially our enemies.

“But I don’t have any enemies!”

“True that,”
Mr. disembodied voice; “but, maybe someone has let you down, slandered your good name, or pushed your buttons?”

“Ok, I admit it. There is ONE pin-head who constantly pushes my buttons.”

“Pin-head? Ouch! What did I do now?”

“David, it’s not what you say, but the pompous way you say it... and you smell funny too.”

“I’m sorry, forgive me please!”

“If I forgive you, do you promise to stop being so arrogant?”

“I’ll try really hard, but sometimes I still blow it. I need more than your forgiveness; I need your grace!”

“But you’re so $%#@!”

“I’m a falling down wretch of a man, but I still need your love.”

“Ok, I love you even if you smell funny and say things that hurt my feelings. Here Dave, have a cookie.”

“Thank you, disembodied voice. You’re so good to me.”


* * * * *


Last week I watched some good folks walk away from our church. They had a problem with someone who has lots of faults.

Hey, I thought we were a family. Where’s the grace?

I’ll miss you guys. May the lord bless your socks off wherever you end up!

 



11 Comments:


At Sunday, July 30, 2006, Blogger Rulan

It's so sad when people walk away. It leaves broken pieces behind and creates walls in the heart.

I pray that all concerned will find peace and love. May the Lord work in the lives of all involved and bring unity.

 

At Sunday, July 30, 2006, Blogger David Meigs

I can understand why they left, but it's not the same without them.

 

At Monday, July 31, 2006, Blogger jel

soorry to hear this David!

what is really sad is when people walk away and they don't or won't say why they left?


take care

 

At Monday, July 31, 2006, Blogger Vicki

Good post! I'm so thankful for grace, let me tell you! I look back on my life and realize how much grace certain folks extended to me when I didn't know better. The thing about walking away from church when there's friction, is that God often allows it to occur again elsewhere until we finally have to deal with it. But of course I'm rambling and don't know the situation. God bless you, and bless your dear friends.

Blessings!
Vicki

http://victoriagaines.com

 

At Monday, July 31, 2006, Blogger David Meigs

Janice & Vicki,

The truth be told, even the best among us needs grace. But we hold people in less esteem than we do our pet projects or political point of view.

 

At Monday, July 31, 2006, Blogger Mirtika

I think walking away is sometimes necessary.

My old church, the one we stopped attending, had people leaving group by group after the new pastor was chosen. Me, I listened to one sermon, talked with him once, and told my husband, "I'm not coming here anymore. This man gives me seriously bad vibes."

My husband has known me for 24 years. One thing he knows...if I get bad vibes, there's something to it. He didn't give me grief about it, but he kept going, as he was part of the worship team and that's a responsibility he didn't and doesn't take lightly.

But he'd report to me--"So and so and their family just left the church."

I'd say, "uh-huh. More's coming. That dude is trouble."

I'm an avoider. If I think you're a person dangerous to my spirit, I do not go near you if I can help it. I've learned this tactic because I have a temper issue. And people with tempers learn to walk away or something awful might get said.

Anyway, I kept in touch with some friends from chuch--they were our deacon/wife team assigned to us--and the grief they described at the bad leadership and continuing exodus broke my heart. But I expected it. When all but ONE of the people who interviewed and voted in this pastor left, well...

I was finally urging my deaconess and deacon to leave. I saw the damage they were suffering. And sure enough, she was driven to the brink of losing her desire to even pray. After they left--job offer in another town--it took her months to heal. Months before joining another church didn't seem like beyond her abilities.

Me, I walked away fast. Some fights aren't for me.

Maybe for these folks, they saw danger coming and thought it was best to go before things got said or done that might never be forgiven.

Mir--a person so ladled with weaknesses and faults, I'd need 10 blogs to go into all of em.

 

At Monday, July 31, 2006, Blogger David Meigs

Mir, I’m sorry to hear about your church. I agree that people need to go where they feel called to go. Still, I’ll miss my friends and I hope they miss me too.

 

At Tuesday, August 01, 2006, Blogger M. C. Pearson

I'm having a hard time with my parents...ready to leave them for a long time.

Please pray.

Thanks for the post.

 

At Tuesday, August 01, 2006, Blogger David Meigs

You got it, Mim's!

 

At Wednesday, August 02, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous

it's sad that church members walk away, but one way or the other God will deal with all the people involved.

God bless.

 

At Wednesday, August 02, 2006, Blogger David Meigs

Pia, I know what you mean. The Lord is able to humble the proud. It’s when we get proud that we injure people and begin to take our holiness way too seriously. The Old Testament is filled with people who humble themselves, God raises them up and then they get proud and the Lord brings them down.

But humility needs to be put on everyday and we must remember that we are but dumb animals that wouldn’t have the sense to reach out to God for help, if it were not for His grace.

Hey, it’s good to see you!