I finally finished reading Philip Yancey's book "What's So Amazing About Grace?" I tend to read Yancey's books fairly slowly. They are so hard-hitting in terms of what they say that I can easily get overwhelmed so I tend to read them just a few pages at a time, usually with a couple of days in between.

The last two lines of this bok are:

The world thirsts for grace. When grace descends, the world falls silent before it.

If we, as Christians, were to all unite and suddenly embrace and embody the kind of grace that Yancey explains we are called to live out, the world would stop, take note, and be forever changed ... I am certain of that.

Yancey starts the book by telling a story that ends up as a recurring theme throughout the nearly 300 page book. He tells the story of a prostitute in Chicago who had even been forced to "rent out" her two-year-old daughter to earn money. Broken and at the end of her rope, someone asks her if she has ever thought about turning to the church for help and as a way to get her life turned around. To this, she exclaims "Church! Why would I ever go there? I was already feeling terrible about myself. They'd just make me feel worse."

I think we can all see where she's gotten that impression and, depending upon the church she entered or the person she ran into there, she is probably right.

And that sets the stage for Yancey to explain what Jesus-style grace, truly lived out, would look like, and just how badly we often miss the boat. Because we cannot embody radical grace, giving it away with no expectation of anything in return, we come across as judgmental, non-compassionate and holier-than-thou.

It is more than just a change of attitude that is called for from the church in order to change this -- it calls for a whole different step in our transformation and discipleship ... a step that is rarely taught but instead must be caught -- embraced and embodied.

I pray that I can catch ... and live out ... that kind of grace. For each of us, as we examine this opportunity for grace, there is only one place to start and that is with ourselves.


They'll Know We Are Christians

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we'll guard each one's dignity and save each one's pride
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

By our love, by our love

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
And together we'll spread the news that God is in our land
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

By our love, by our love

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
They will know we are Christians by our love

Love is patient, love is kind
Never boasts, not full of pride
Always hopes, always trusts
The evidence of Christ in us