Pure Grace

I once congratulated a friend on an award he received. I said, “You deserve it.” As a believer his response was, “Oh, please. I DESERVE to burn in hell.” That unexpected response got my attention and has stayed with me (for the last 25+ years!) He’s right…anything better than an eternity in hell is a GREAT blessing from above. It’s called mercy and grace.

When I compare my “plight” to those Christians who are frantically fleeing Iraq, I feel ashamed of myself. When tempted to throw myself a “pity party” all I have to do is look at  our friends in Israel to see the real horrors that can come to those who are identified as God’s people. We American Christians really have a fairly easy row to hoe.

Several years ago I had a pastor in Mesquite, TX, who would say, “For the lost person, this world is the only heaven they will know. For the Christian, this world is the only hell they will know.” How true.

From God’s view, selling a house and finding a job are no big deal. In another part of the world things are much, much worse.