I had some time to kill...

 …My son Geoffrey was taking a test and it was expected to last 2 to 2 ½ hours. I had just one errand to run while in Savannah so I stopped at McDonalds® close to my destination and went in to get breakfast. In case you were not aware said restaurant is required to display the calories of each item they sell. Now honestly, if I was worried about calories why would I be stopping at Mickey D’s? I mean really? I learned something anyway. In the past I have purchased their Big breakfast eggs, hash brown, and pancakes not to mention a few other goodies I forgot about. I did this because it was a lot of food and cheap (about $4). Next to the title was the calorie count. I could not believe it. The count was 1300 calories. For some perspective, an adult male is to eat in a healthy diet 2000 calories in one day. That one breakfast item was 65% of my daily caloric intake in one meal. Who does that? In the past I would eat a big breakfast and then lunch later followed by dinner. Who knows how many calories 5000-6000 in one day? That is not what I ate. My choice was 450 calories for the meal. That is what I wanted. Not always is what I want what is best for me.

Do you have difficult people you have to deal with? Of course you do we all do, I mean someone whose behavior is self destructive and destructive to others around them? That is probably a yes there too. It’s all too easy to dismiss them because “they deserve what they get.” They are a big person and that is the choice they made and so I have no responsibility to help them much less be concerned about them at all (written with all of the righteous attitude I could get out of this keyboard).  God will deal with them. That is true. My question is how should I deal with them? What would be the “Christian thing” to do?

In a devotion book published in 2000, Max Lucado made a point in regards to such a quandary. Matthew 4:23-24 records the movements of Jesus through Galilee teaching, preaching and healing “among them.”  The Gospel record reports that news about him spread all over Syria and therefore people brought to him “all who were ill.” How cool was that? Lucado points out that not all of those people were nice people. Some had done some terrible things. Jesus knew that. Jesus knew their heart and intentions and they were not all honorable. He knows that about us as well. The Gospel record declares “he healed them (all).” He went ahead and healed them knowing what they had done. He healed them knowing that some of the tongues loosed would curse others and him; he healed lame legs knowing they would be used by some to run after stealing from another; he healed those demon possessed knowing that some would never glorify God. Jesus knew that “and he healed them.”

That is grace, Jesus our example. So, what about our response to those difficult people? In a word grace! That is not what you or I will want to do. It will be hard. I t will be the very best contributing to our transformation into the image of grace Jesus.              

In HIS Service and Yours,
BroG