but by grace

While I was baking chocolate lava cakes on Friday evening in anticipation of a lovely evening with friends I watched/listened to the news. This is sometimes not a good idea because, as we all know, the horrible stuff can be so debilitating. I found myself mixing batter with a little more vigor at times in response to what I was hearing and watching. Parents accused of ridding themselves of their child, a judge who took advantage of his position by taking advantage of disenfranchised youth, people maimed at the hands of the western world just so we can keep on having all the things we have. I was very angry. I still am. All of these stories piled on to the individual stories I had heard all week. The man who just found out he has cancer in his brain and his 22 year old son who has to deal with all the decisions. The son having to do this by himself because his father has alienated every other person in his life. I never met the son in person but he sounded too mature for his age on the phone. That made me sad. I'm sure all of this is making you sad too.

Then my pastor spoke this morning about how we need to recognize that any of those stories could be us but for the grace of God. Thus our only response, my only response has to be compassion because God has been compassionate to me. when I walk past someone on the street and think, "They have decided their way into that position" I need to remember that could have been me. God has poured out his grace on me and I must pour out grace on them. On each person I meet each day.

But for the grace of God go I.