Too Far Gone?

I know that it can be easy at times to give up on people or on your own circumstances. I don’t like a discussion working with urban poor that ends up talking about who are the more deserving recipients of God’s grace and mercy. Real question is anyone ever beyond the reach of God’s love, forgiveness and life transformation. I have been blessed with Philip Yancey’s book, “What’s So Amazing About Grace” over the years. It highlights real stories of people who would appear to be beyond God’s reach but ultimately are loved, forgiven, redeemed and welcomed back.

The challenge is that I’m not God or Jesus and it is one thing to talk about one of the parables it is another thing to actually live them out. I love the parables of the Good Samaritan or the Prodigal Son. These parables unfold the heart of God for the broken, forgotten and those who have purposely walked away from God. The call, which most of us don’t want to hear, is that God wants us to be ambassadors of reconciliation reaching back to those who are not the easiest to love.

I had a great breakfast meeting with some new pastor friends. I was sharing the vision and rationale behind doing neighborhood transformation work. The one pastor, who I didn’t know, asked me a rather common question, “Is it possible to justify what you do from both a Biblical perspective and also show results for the investment we might make with your group.” I of course welcome any opportunity to talk, share stories and explain God’s heart for the broken, displaced and poor in spirit. I do get annoyed with those that come out of affluence that have never had to struggle with anything be too quick to judge or criticize someone that is homeless or living on governmental assistance.

I admit that I at times can have a temper and get frustrated with some who seem to continually drop the ball and then in the process hurt others around them. So when I see a teen that has become a dropout I’m not going to be thrilled with their mom or other relatives. I know that too often the failure of a young person is tied to their larger family. Yes, I think someone who is 15 and older is more than capable of rising above their circumstances with a little help. Yet, once the individual has given up on life it takes a lot more effort from the outside to get that person to be different.

I’m around some young adults and older adults who have done some crazy stuff that would make it difficult for the typical person to ever trust them or view them as being redeemable. I know that when I reach back to any of those in these circumstances that I take a risk. I know that if I give them something whether it be food, phone, money that I have to give it not expecting anything in return. I can remember the healing of the lepers where only one turned around to thank Jesus.

So I’m truly blessed when someone I’m helping helps themselves not only says thank you but also chooses to step up and help someone else. I know that the challenge for most is that we don’t understand real brokenness. I have always had a mom and dad who loved me, praised me and were there to help me when I screwed up. I have been married all of my adult life to an incredible person who is always positive, a willing working and partner in ministry in spite of some of my poor decisions. Yes, I have lived through the death of my mom from cancer, I’ve watched my dad over the last 5 years deteriorate from Dementia and learned much from the yearlong birth of our first kid. Yet, I can’t relate to my homeless teens that don’t have any family support, go hungry or end up sleeping from friends house to friends house.

As I’m driving a few of my older teens home last night after they did some home work and devour a loaf of bread which became toast with jam we end up talking about why some people get it and others seem to be in la la land. The point of the conversation was to say that I hoped they understood that God never quits on anyone regardless of circumstances. I know that most of them have relatives that have walked away from them or continue to slam them and seldom support them.

I know it is hard for most to forgive someone who has stolen from you in your own house. Especially when you have brought them into your house to help them. I know that the road to reconciliation has no short cuts. It requires honesty and an openness to dialogue about real life. I believe this is possible with anyone whether they believe it or not. The only reason I can be optimistic is because God is the one who is in the business of renewing us and helping us reconcile with others including himself.

The difficulty is that most are not experienced with being open to deal with the mess that comes out of broken relationships that have been put on the back burner. I know that most that have anger issues come out of this type of context. If you have never experienced real forgiveness or reconciliation and your normal experience in life is to be screamed at or be told that you are dumb or stupid then it is no wonder that you don’t know how to pursue the path of reconciliation.

My hope is that God will help me first be more open, transparent and real to myself, my wife and to Jesus so I in turn can become an agent of reconciliation. I don’t want any of my teens or adults to become statistics. I want God’s grace and mercy to triumph over the evil, brokenness and mess that exists in my neighborhood.