Grace in Action....

The painful drama being played out this week in Pennsylvania illustrates several things for us today.

One, there are a lot of very confused and sick people out there. Isolation is a killer. Charles Roberts was well known in the area, but it seems that no one really knew what was tormenting his soul and life. One can be surrounded by people and still not be really known.

Two, pain is part of a fallen world. The Amish believe this. They understand that sometimes there are no answers to the questions… evil things happen because we live in a world filled with evil.

Three, GRACE is the right response. From the moment it happened there has been one consistent message from the Amish community. GRACE. Things like, “We forgive this man..” “We hold no ill will against his family” ( Within hours the Amish people were reaching out to Roberts wife and telling her that they wanted her to stay in the area and that she would have lots of friends that would take care of her and her children.)

The national news media doesn’t know exactly what to do with these people. They are amazed. How can someone forgive like this? How can someone reach out to others in the midst of incredible pain?

They have an answer- It is Jesus. Plain and simple ( no pun intended), they live by the teachings of Jesus. Teachings about forgiveness, turning the other cheek, and grace.

Joseph Stowell, president of Moody Bible Institute, has said that the American Church is “long on mad, and short on grace.”

We have become known more for what we are against, than what we are for. I think Stowell is right. We just act mad so much of the time. We’re mad at politicians, we’re mad at the media, we’re mad at the President. We’re also mad at those who live their lives differently than we do.

I say let’s stop being so angry with people who sin. Lost people are going to sin because they’re lost. Christians are going to sin because they’re not perfect. But we don’t have to run around pounding our chests, letting people know how right we are, and how wrong everyone else is.

Instead we ought to take heed of the words of Jesus.“ They will know that you are my disciples by your love.” It makes a difference. It certainly has in Pennsylvania

A group of Amish people have distinguished themselves… Not by their righteous indignation, or their political affiliation. But by their love. By their Grace.

We can learn a lot from them.

Thank God for GRACE