Experiencing Grace Truth and Love

As the world of Facebook, Reddit and news blew up over the VMA’s and Miley Cyrus, my heart was crushed. As a dad, I can only imagine the parent’s internal responses to all of the news. The finger pointing, the accusations and the pain. Does anyone ever really comprehend how hurtful legalism and gossip really are? (I am pretty sure my own children did some pretty dumb things. I never stopped loving them. Ask them. I never waffled about grace, truth and love, but loved them. ) Is it really what she wore? What she did? Or just that unlike so many bound in the church, you just happened to see it?At some point you recognize you have accomplished all that you could or will for this season, that your little girl has grown up. You realize that your parenthood has shifted and that you have effectively moved from parent to equal. Your hope is that you will see them continue to stay plugged in, seeking you for counsel and help. With the knowledge that they may not. Your seed of 18 years has come to the limit. As he or she pops through the soil of childhood into the world of maturity, which way will they go?

This is not about parenting, though let’s be honest, it is. My thoughts on grace in this. Grace is the power to overcome sin, not to sin and get away with it. Grace causes you to look into the eyes of the Father and know He loves you, never wanting to move to the side. A lowered understanding of grace is that you can do “whatever” and God is cool with it. (You have probably never been a parent, and if you are, I would question your personal understanding of grace and the power grace has.) You have relegated it to the wrong tree. Grace is not guard rails but the power to stay in the middle of your lane.

Women like Miley Cyrus do not need accusations or finger pointing. What they do need is the prayer of the children of God and the grace of God to permeate their lives. They need people of relationship and longsuffering to pray for them, to embrace them without judgment in their hearts. I know too many beautiful young women who are trying to live out their inability to understand the love of the Father.

The church’s position? I think you may need to look at Jesus and His earth walk among women like Mary Magdalene. When anyone who is promiscuous or damaging in their actions, is confronted by the truth (Jesus) while looking in the eyes of one who loves them their life is forever changed. When love has no bounds, when grace is multiplied and applied lives change.

Our prayers should not be from lofty understanding, bound up in laws and legalism, but from the position of eyes burning with love and grace.

Option A-Point fingers, talk about it all, light up the airwaves.
Option B-Be a true follower of the Lord Jesus.

My heart would be broken if this was my child. Just as Jesus’ was when He saw the Syrophonecian woman at the well, or Mary Magdalene or any number of others. Love is the winner. Not all this other stuff. If you have pointed out how bad it was you probably missed out on how good He is.

Too many believers are applying the law where they do not think grace (God) would be. They have applied a mixture of grace and law which is NEVER grace hoping to understand it. Where sin abounds much grace abounds. (Romans 5:20)

It is time for the church to awaken to true grace, not the horrendous mixture of legalism, mind control and behavior modifications, but to turn to Him and put OUR trust in Him. It begins with one. Will it be you?