Grace, says C.S.Lewis, is Christianity's unique contribution among world religions. 'Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more... and grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us less,' is Yancey's best attempt to define a marvelous but elusive concept (p.70, What’s Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey)What made me retain my faith in orthodox Christianity is the teaching about “grace.” Although, many Christians differ in their perceptions about this, I on the other hand take the position of Yancey.
In an ungrateful and ungraceful society, we need grace to abound. We need it most when we are downtrodden, sick, needy, desperate, depressed, despondent, accused of wrongdoings, and undeserving. We need it even when we are not as I have described there. We all need it regardless of what and who we are. This is the easiest part –receiving. But, how about when you are on the other side of the fence? Can you offer grace?
That was the hardest part.
Can you?
A good test as to whether your church (or YOU) is grace- or ungrace-filled might be Tony Compolo's provocative/prophetic ploy when speaking at Christian colleges. '"The United Nations reports that over ten thousand people starve to death each day, and most of you don't give a sh-- . However, what is even more tragic is that most of you are more concerned about the fact that I have said a bad word than you are about the ten thousand people dying today." The responses prove his point: in nearly every case Tony got a letter from the chaplain or president of the college protesting his foul language. The letters never mentioned world hunger.' (p.201, ibid.)