Undiscriminating grace

For the grace of God has appeared to all human beings…..( Titus 2:11)

So many times in my life I have found myself critizing the mistakes of other people. I have found myself judging and even so quick to warn other people against associating with certain people. My reasons were always based on the past mistakes that the people I was speaking against did. I am sure many of us as Christians; we have many times done this. We look at people and judge them. We have failed to extend grace to others because we still view them as sinners yet we were and are also sinners.

As I write I remember about a certain story of a young lady who had been a prostitute but she one day gave her life to Christ. As a result of her relationship with Christ, her ways changed and she even became a Sunday school teacher. Later, the pastor’s son fell in love with her and wanted to marry her but the congregation sat to discuss whether this girl was worth getting married to the pastor’s son because her past had been sinful. This was so hurting to the girl and it is always the same case to the people we crucify.

We fail to realize that when Christ died; it was not just for a special group of people. Christ died for all human kind and erased all our sins and if anyone accepts him, the he is a new creation, the old is gone and the new person in him through Christ becomes alive. The bible says that we should not consider ourselves better than others. We ought not to be like the Pharisee who when he went to pray, instead of repenting and presenting his requests to God decided to show God how righteous he was and how sinful the tax collector was. Let us not forget that Christ paid the price of all of us. When he said ‘it is finished’, it was for you, me and that guy or girl out there whose past seemed so messed up to you. Christ made him new and there was no difference between me and him/her.

Instead of judging one another, we should extend grace and love to others. For love doesn’t keep a record of wrong but always protects. When we say we love God, we should love others as well and this love involves forgiving others and allowing them to experience the freedom that we all receive from forgiveness that comes through salvation.

God bless you!