Grace Never Shakes Its Head:

I once heard someone say, "You may be the only Jesus that someone ever meets." This is a very deep statement if we actually think about it in the framework outside of ourselves. We can easily take it in as a challenge to be perfect; or we can take it as a statement of grace. As I was reading Brennan Manning's book, The Ragamuffin Gospel, I was convicted by these amazing words that I feel closely coincide with idea of being the only Jesus someone may ever meet, "whatever our failings may be, we need not lower our eyes in the presence of Jesus." Hear me out, in no way am I claiming to be Christ. However, I am proclaiming the truth that I am His hands and His feet. I loosely throw this out, that I am the active, working, visual reflection of Jesus in a tangible, graspable, every day human form. I am saying that we, us, you and me, as individual people are Christ in the flesh. As unfavorable issues arise, issues that I would most definitely want forgiveness and grace poured for me, I have so often put my head down and shaken it in disgust; all the while claiming, I am His hands and His feet. This only portrays one visual of grace; that He will also put His head down and shake it in disgust and arrogance. How many eyes have looked to me for the reassurance that maybe today, maybe today's the day that they will see Jesus in all of his mercy and grace, and I was shaking my head, saying, "You're not worthy, and His grace was not for you. You're not together enough for this grace."

Grace doesn't drop and shake it's head, portraying a deep and unmistakable view of un-forgiveness and shame, it always invites us to raise our eyes in the presence of a loving and gracious savior who says, "Come to life, which has been given so that you may have it to the full."