Lifeless Reclaimed Wood

I recently walked into a church fellowship hall and was greeted with "Be kind. Be humble. Be grateful." I'm really not sure when this reclaimed wooden sign movement took up consumer residence because I'm always late to the "in" game.  I have wandered the Hobby Lobby lanes, the aisles at Home Goods, and stopped and searched T.J. Maxx for just the right little meaningful plaque that will put me in league with the Jones', but honestly, I come home empty-handed.

When I walked into that church hall and was greeted most abruptly with imperatives wagging their invisible fingers at my soul, I felt ashamed.  Ashamed for my future failings.  Ashamed that, if I stayed very long, they would see my shortcomings, and my inability to live up to the standards of this church: "kindness, humbleness, and gratitude."

Sigh.

The truth is.  I am all those things.....on Facebook.....with my acquaintances....at the grocery store....and everyone else is too.  But the Law.  Oh the Law! Oh how it condemns my soul.  "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it.  Prone to leave the God I love!"  The letter of law does not budge.  There is no room for mistakes, for margin.....for grace....

In the sermon on the mount, Jesus says, "You have heard it said, 'You shall not murder,' but I tell you that anyone who is angry is guilty of the law!"  Yikes!  That is the condemnation we live with.  That is spirit of the Law.

And the Law is not a respecter of persons.  So, I haven't murdered anyone....but....I yelled at my kids yesterday in anger....I don't even have to yell - if I am simply angry I am condemned by the Law.

These little imperatives we put around our houses and businesses....so cute, so kosher in this day and age of fear and fighting....are they really causing us to be more kind, more grateful? Are they bridging the gaps between us? What if instead my friend practices forgiveness when I am abrupt or insensitive or don't respond to a text?  What if I give my kids a hug when they mess up, and I tell them I love them instead of showing "righteous indignation?"  Aren't we quicker to pass grace on to others when someone has extended grace to us?  When we feel undeservingly absolved, aren't we quicker to absolve others of their offenses toward us?   

Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us...

You know, the law did nothing to help humankind become more righteous in Biblical times, and it still does nothing to help us in modern times.  It's just a big flashlight shining piety onto our dark shameful souls and does nothing to redeem or change us.  Ironically, it only results in pride when we live up to it's standard.  "Look how grateful I was today!" "I showed kindness today."  "I am a better person than yesterday."

But Jesus left his THRONE in Heaven, put on human skin and said, "I didn't come to get rid of the law, I came to be the perfect fulfillment of the law.  I came to live the life you can't and free you from the bondage of imperatives that keep you in the darkness: pithy sayings that just shine the light of piety on your dirty faces."  Thanks be to God!  There's the grace!  There's the kindness!  There's the humility!  

Now all I have is gratitude for all that has been given to me.  He came down to earth to wipe our dirty faces, give us clean hearts, nourish our spirits, and delight in our company.  We didn't ask for this.  We didn't deserve this.  But we get to live in that grace.  We get to live in gratitude.  We get to enjoy this space of being forgiven.  This is life-changing.  This is WORLD-changing.  This is all I have to offer - His life-giving Spirit flowing through me, in spite of me.  

HE is kind. HE is grateful. HE is humble.

Thanks be to God. 

SDG