"What's so Amazing About Grace?"

It blows me away how the power of grace attracts interest. On Wednesday, prior to the resignation of Commissioner Zaccardelli, I wrote the previous blog with an honest heart. Averaging approximately 50 hits a day on this blog, in one day there was over 1000 as a result of a small article in the Edmonton Sun, and mention in a popular blog called "small dead animals". The apparent interest, by many folks, had to do with the issue of grace.

I often read blogs, web pages and opinion articles on political issues. What saddens me though is the aggressive and contemptuous language that is used to voice ones opinion about another persons behaviour.

Certainly there are times when we are called to be righteously indignant about wrongdoing. But who's righteousness are we tapping in to? In most cases it is our own, yet we feel that it is appropriate and proper to belittle, cajole, and villify the behaviour of others that we find wrong based on, in many instances, our own standard of right and wrong.

I've asked this question often, " why do we get so angry and upset because someone else's sin is different than our own?"

I used that word sin with my journalist friend the other day and she didn't much care for the word. She did not deny the existence of the dark side of humanity that lurks in us all, she just didn't like the word.

Okay, so why do we get so angry because someone else's dark side is manifested differently than our own? As I said in my previous blog, Mr. Zaccardelli will be experiencing the consequences of his own actions. But grace, when one has received it and experienced it to the extent that I have, gives me, not only the ability to extend it, but compels me to take the step and do so. That is "What's so amazing about grace" (an excellent book by Phillip Yancey)

I believe, we can only begin to understand what it means to receive God's grace, when we can come to terms with our own dark side, misdeeds, behaviours, vengeful anger, contempt, rage, jealousies, lusts, foolishness, deceit... and so on, turn from that nature, and choose to accept, by faith, God's free gift of atonement, found in Jesus Christ.

When we experience this freeing grace, then we can extend it. I can't extend grace to my enemies on my own strength. I can only do so when I have first experienced it.

Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound.

May God's grace prevail, may he have mercy on us all, including Mr. Zaccardelli.