“Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!” (Judges 10:14)
I have been guilty of writing people off before. The thing is, I get impatient. I think progress should happen at a much faster rate than it’s actually happening, and I get impatient. And then when people get in a mess and want help, it’s hard not to see the situation as the result of their own efforts. You got yourself into this mess, so you can get yourself out of it. If you don’t face the consequences of your actions, then you’ll never learn. Thankfully, such an attitude isn’t an accurate reflection of God’s attitude toward us.
After God spoke those harsh words to the Israelites, they removed the foreign gods from among them and returned to Him. Verse 16b says, Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer.
God’s dealing with us as people is in the fulness of both grace and truth. God did speak truth to the Israelites – go ahead an let your new gods save you. But then he followed up with grace because it pained Him so much to see the misery that Israel was going through.
God’s been working on teaching me grace and truth, as well. Truth is important, but grace carries equal importance. In the moment when you’re ready to give up on someone remember that grace and truth go together.
God, thank You that, in Your dealings with me, You have been generous with both grace and truth. I certainly deserve any kind of bad I can get, but in Your grace, You have blessed me beyond measure. Help me to be willing to lavish the same grace and truth on others in my sphere of influence. Keep me from having a judgmental attitude, and let my mind be quick to remember how gracious You have been with me.
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