Accepting Embrace part 2
Accepting someone--because you truly understand them--means there is no desire to change them. "God loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you that way" doesn't even make sense. Either He loves you just the way you are OR He can't leave you that way. But this, I think, is where the "grace movement" gets labeled as a "license to sin." Becasuse if we're not changing people... how are they going to stop doing all the "bad stuff" they're doing? You're saying, "Do whatever you want to do?" How does that lead to a holy life? And the simple answer is, "Telling someone they can do whatever they want DOESN'T lead to a holy lifestyle." But the Holy Spirit DOES lead and guide us into His holiness. I can tell you what to do and what not to do, but if I do that two things are probably going to happen. 1. You're going to do the opposite of what I say. What's the old saying? Gimme a rule, I'll break it. Gimme a line, I'll cross it. We seem to always rebel against what we're "supposed to do." So that's the first thing. And the 2. You'll probably stop listening to me altogether. I'll drive you away with my man-centered, performance-based religion. You won't want anything to do with it. You'll run FROM God instead of running TO Him. But here's what telling someone, "Do whatever you want" does: It takes the shakles off. It's lets people be who they really are in an atmosphere of grace, and love, and understanding, and acceptance. You don't have to hide who you really are or try to be someone you're not. You're ok. Just the way you are. And here's the secret: I don't believe people WANT to be "bad." I think people are just looking for love. Trying to fill that void that they feel inside them. They're searching for something. And what we do when we condemn them is we basically tell them that they aren't ever going to find what they're looking for. That they aren't worthy of it. That they need to change in order to get it. That they need to DO in order to BE. And that, my friends, is the same lie that Eve swallowed way back in the garden of Eden. I think if we stopped trying to change people and just got them in touch with God--by loving them! How else could God touch someone other than by us loving them?--then we would see the change we're looking for. I think people need a REASON to "change." Or rather, to experience the change that took place on the cross. Drinkers drink because they don't see a better option (broad, general statement, I know. But stick with me). They want to feel different, and don't know any other way. So what should we do? Demand that they stop drinking? Or show them a more excellent way? Make their drinking a wall between us? Or love them even when they're drunk? I thought I was going to get more into the difference between "helping" and "enabling" but I guess that'll keep until tomorrow. Today I just want to say: Love them anyway. Accept them for who they are!