How far does my grace journey go?

A friend mentioned to me that he went up Ainslie Hill (Canberra) to observe the christians protesting there. A number of satanists faced up to them. Surprisingly, as he watched the interaction between the groups, he was more concerned about the christians' behavior around the satanists than the other way around.

He began a few interesting conversations with the satanists. They were friendly and one or two commented – you're the first christian we've met who we can understand, who makes sense, who is actually likeable.

For clarity, the reader should know everything the satanist stands for is anathema to me but listening to my friend, I began wondering who had the greater effect, the greater impact that day. As salt of the earth, we are here to permeate, to flavour the dish, to leave our influence. Lives in which Jesus has become the main feature. In a Sunday school class, one little boy answered the teacher's question, what is a christian? "Someone who makes people thirsty for God."

A new song

Subsequently, a satanist turned up for mediation at my workplace as a support worker. The appointment had been fed my way by the intake worker. He was wearing a T-shirt with an inverted cross and the inscription: "Forsake the Father." My immediate reaction in the past would be to pass the case onto another practitioner – conflict of interests (severe). End of story!

Yet God sometimes dispenses His wisdom right on our back doorstep (Proverbs 14:4, The Message).

Not unexpectedly, I struggled as this young man sat before me. Those words stung, I felt it in my gut. But the more I measured my feelings, I had to admit I actually liked this guy. I didn't want him immediately out of my presence.

What would Jesus have done?

There was a general relaxedness about allowing the mediation to go forward, without seeking a change of practitioner. This didn't change over the next few days, as I sought the Lord's guidance.

If I draw back from every satanist, where is the 5th gospel they will ever read? It was the publicans and sinners (not the Pharisees) who were drawn to Jesus. My wife wisely reflected: "He'll have a story" – what if it is being brought up by a super-righteous, legalistic, overbearing "christian" father?

It has been said at 18, our convictions are hills from which we look; at 45, they have become caves in which we hide. Strongholds of thought that do not allow us to be real people brushing alongside real people, leaving the alluring frankincense of Jesus Christ.

Ed Silvoso tells the story of a pastor friend who was visited by a man dying of AIDS. Here was a man who took a christian pastor to lunch to gauge his reaction to the announcement of his condition, scanning him, watching and waiting. Some time later, he received Jesus into his life. His comments to Silvoso's friend were profound, "Do you want to know why I received Jesus? When I told you I was dying of AIDS, I was watching your body language. I wondered if you would quickly lean back, away from my face. I was not listening to your words, but I was watching the language of your body. Instead of rejecting me, you reached out and touched me. Your eyes filled with tears. You empathised with me. You accepted me. Then and there, I decided that your God is the God I want to meet when I die" ¹.

I never did get to see this young man again because he never returned. I had already thought of the questions I would ask him around his T-shirt and wait to see what God might do with the conversation. In the end, I never had the opportunity. But then again, maybe our encounter was divinely arranged to grow me.

At the time of the Christchurch earthquake, they made a surprising find. A pigeon had lodged a home for itself in the almost destroyed cathedral, in the centre of town. It was an amazing find but there it was, a symbol of peace in the midst of utter brokenness, in the cathedral and the city that surrounded it. And guess what? The nesting place it had made its home was a perfect fit. I wonder if the grace of God delights to do something similar, in the heart of broken places and broken hearts! May I follow the lead of grace.

My daily assignment is surprisingly uncomplicated.
Love the person in front of me!

May our hills never become caves!

 

¹ Ed Silvoso, That none should perish, Regal Books 1994, p.82