An old—and unworkable—policy from the Chicago trainyards once declared: “When two engines approach each other on the same track, neither can move until the other moves first.” It reads like an all-too familiar description of what happens when we find ourselves in conflict with someone. We stay put; we sit tight. We wait for the other to make the first move toward apology or reconciliation. Just as soon as our wounded pride is soothed and our correctness underlined, we’ll become—we promise—the forgiving persons we’ve pledged to be. It’s marvelously fortunate for us that the Father doesn’t act that way—that He takes on Himself the responsibility for moving toward us when we’re stuck in shame and brokenness. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:19). Grace always moves toward pain and guilt and bitterness. It doesn’t pause to grind in wrongs, or tally all infractions and offenses. It seeks the peace for which we were created, the friendship that’s infinitely more valuable than the sum of others’ failures. “Be kind to one another,” the Scripture says, “tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you” (Eph 4:32). And you will stay in grace. - Bill Knott
Note: If you are blessed by GraceNotes, we invite you to subscribe.
Introducing The Why: Am I In The Way? (August 2019)
GraceNotes: The Choice That Heals (July 26, 2019)
GraceNotes: The Dawn of Trust (July 19, 2019)
GraceNotes: All of Grace, Grace for All (July 12, 2019)
GraceNotes: Gracefully Wrong (July 5, 2019)
Journeys With Jesus: The Spirit of Grace (July 2019)
Zeno Charles-Marcel: Dementia (July 2019)
Torben Bergland: Mental Health and Lifestyle (July 2019)
Katia Reinert: Finding God In The Journey To Recovery (July 2019)
Searching The Obvious: Time Well Spent (July 2019)
Costing Jordache: Volunteering Can Save Your Life (July 2019)
Wilona Karimabadi: You Need To Take A Break (July 2019)
Dr. Peter Landless: Wholeness Into Brokenness (July 2019)
Lael Caesar: Maybe Your Name Is Moses (July 2019)
GraceNotes: The Hero of the Story (June 28, 2019)
Racism 2.0
Is Free Speech Under Attack?
GraceNotes: Playful, Joyful, We Adore Three (June 21, 2019)
GraceNotes: Better Than We Know (June 14, 2019)
Gun Rights?
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Tangent on Veritas Catholic Network
Life After Ministry
Devoted To Prayer
Conspirituality
Astrology of the Week Ahead with Chani Nicholas