The Gamble of Grace

This is a piece written by a guy named John Lynch called "The Gamble of Grace":

What if I tell them who they are? What if I take away any element of fear in condemnation, judgment or rejection? What if I tell them I love them, will always love them, that I love them right now, no matter what they've done as much as I love my own Son? What if I tell them that there is nothing that they can do to make my love go away?

What if I tell them there are no lists? What if I tell them I don't keep a log of past offenses, of how little they pray, how often they let me down, or made promises that they don't keep? What if I tell them they are righteous with my righteousness right now? What if I tell them they can stop beating themselves up, that they can stop being so formal, stiff, and jumpy around me? What if I tell them that I am CRAZY about them? What if I tell them even if they run to the ends of the earth and do the most horrible, unthinkable things, that when they come back I'd receive them with tears and a party?

What if I tell them that if I am their Savior, they're going to heaven no matter what? It's a done deal! What if I tell them they have a new nature? Saints, not saved sinners who should now "buck up and be better if they were any kind of Christians after all he's done for you!" What if I tell them that I actually live in them right now, that I've put my love, power, and nature inside of them at their disposal? What if I tell them that they don't have to put on a mask? That it's okay to be who they are at this moment with all their junk. That they don't need to pretend about how close we are, how much they pray or don't, how much they read the Bible or don't. What if they don't have to look over their shoulder for fear if things get too good, the other shoe's gonna drop?

What if they knew I will never, ever use the word 'punish' in relation to them? What if they knew that when they mess up, I will never get back at them? What if they were convinced that bad circumstances aren't my way of evening the score for taking advantage of me? What if they knew the basis of our friendship isn't how little they sin, but how much they let me love them? What if I tell them they can hurt my heart, but that I will never hurt theirs? What if I tell them I like Eric Clapton's music too? What if I tell them I never really liked the Christmas handbell deal with the white gloves? What if I tell them they can open their eyes when they pray and still go to heaven? What if I tell them there is no secret agenda, no trap door? What if I tell them it isn't about their self-effort but allowing me to live my life through them?

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I wonder what believers would be like if we really believed this? What if we really believed what God says about us? Or, better yet, what if we...myself included...really looked at Jesus as the most important person in our lives? Our emotional well-being is, in a large part, determined by what the most important person in our life thinks about us. In my experience, this is true. There have been times in my life where I was so into some girl that I was crushed and depressed and all that when I found out she wasn't into me...so I wonder...if Jesus was the most important person in my life, how would my self image be affected? There are times where I know He is number one, and these are the times when I am the most joyful. The times where he isn't, and these are the times where I try to gain acceptance from other people or other things. My prayer for this particular stage in my life is that God would continue to mold me into the person He wants me to be and that He would continue to increase my trust in Him, because the times I trust in Him are the times when He is the most important person in my life. When He is number one, I have a peace and joy...plus I see myself the way He sees me. When I can see myself the way He sees me, I can see others the way He sees them.