The world doesn’t know a lot about second chances. There aren’t many. There are a few gracious situations from time to time. But basically, it’s a dog-eat-dog world. And if you ain’t the dog, that’s a big problem. If you don’t believe me…
… ask the unemployed person if it isn’t a dog-eat-dog world.
… ask the kid who didn’t make the team or get the date.
… ask the politician who didn’t get the votes.
…ask the wife whose husband left her for a younger woman.
…or just ask the husband whose wife left him for a wealthier man.
It’s a dog-eat-dog world. And the world does not offer a lot of second chances.
Churches are sometimes the worst. When someone falls into the coffin of failure, the church often closes the lid and provides the nails of guilt and shame to hammer it shut. The complexity of forgiveness and mercy elude us, and we go too easy answers: black is black and white is white, you are either in, or you are out, your either clean or you're dirty. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, but sometimes it is a dog-eat-dog church.
I think this failure of humanity is what makes the love of Jesus so intoxicating. We have a Lord and Savior who defines himself in terms of love. We have a Lord and Savior who defines himself in terms of mercy. We have a Lord and Savior who defines himself in terms of grace.
Growing up in Sheyenne, ND, I delivered the Fargo Forum Sunday edition. On my route, I had a customer who had a German shepherd. That dog is likely the reason I am a Christian and is most certainly the reason I made the track team. I thought that dog was going to chew my leg off. The world is sometimes like that dog. It seems like it is going to chew your leg off. However, we have a Lord and Savior who stands in front of a dog-eat-dog world and says,
“Those willing stand behind me and let me take care of that dog.”
That my friend is Jesus. He is a second-chance God who chases away the great difficulties in our lives. It is this Jesus that we fall in love with.
Have a Great Week!
-Pastor Corey