Grace vs. Rights

This weekend, I went to the Great Banquet in Kokomo, this was an incredible experience, very restful & refreshing for me. It was so nice to be able to go to this & not have to worry about leading anything or making sure things were done. I was able to come in & be anonymous. In this setting, I wasn’t a pastor, I was just another one of the guys who were seeking after God. There are a number of things that God has been challenging me with of which I will be sharing in my future blogs. This weekend was a great experience for me & I recommend it to anyone.

One of the major things that jumped out at me this weekend was recognizing that I have a rather messed up view of grace. I have found that I have put grace in a box. Grace has to do with salvation & forgiveness of sin…right! Right…however, I pretty much just stop there & don’t think beyond that. Well, as I looked beyond that I began to see traces of the American culture in me that believe that I have rights as a person; the right to freedom, the right to own 2 cars, a wife & a house with the white picket fence. WRONG! The closer I looked the more I began to realize that everything I have is a grace; a gift. I know…this sounds pretty basic, but it was profound to me in contrast. I’ve always heard that everything is a gift from God, however, I never coupled it with what caused me to misunderstand it. God didn’t have to create me how I am. He didn’t have to place me in time right now. He didn’t have to place me in a loving family in America. He didn’t HAVE to give me anything. Which means...that everything I have is a grace from God. It was in this that I began to realize: Grace is the opposite of rights. I have felt a conviction that I live with an ingrained belief that I have a right… This is a lie. Our culture tells us to stand up for our rights…to take hold of what is yours…to claim what is rightfully yours. I saw a glimpse this weekend that I don’t have rights…only gifts! All I have is from Him…a grace that I intend to keep in perspective for the rest of my life. It is my prayer that this root of rightful sin will die in me & I will live with the right perspective. I am His & all I have is His!