Amazing Grace

I remember being a little girl playing at the home of the employer of my babysitter.  They had this amazing big black dog and if I remember correctly, his name was "Charlie".  I think Charlie was a German Shepherd and he was quite big.  However, Charlie was also very playful and caused no harm to anyone, yet he was a protector.  Charlie knew his family and knew his place of protection.  He was friendly, but keenly aware of his surroundings.  Well, one day I was outside and I decided at my ripe tender young age to stomp at Charlie.  I stomped at him, hissed at him, and basically provoked Charlie to action.  Before I knew it, Charlie had lunged up from his comfort and attacked me.  Charlie bit me on my jaw and my babysitter ended up having to rush me to the hospital.  I was scared, I mean petrified.  I ended up having to get stitches and the whole entire situation was embarrassing.  However, there was more to the story.  My babysitter's employer was also the local piano shop guy who my mother bought my first piano from.  While I was young and naive then, my understanding now is that there were likely adult conversations that went on behind the scenes as to the danger of the dog, the likelihood that the dog would attack someone again, perhaps a child, whether or not the family owed financial restitution to my family due to the dog bite.  These questions were no doubt had, I'm sure, and the answers were all contingent on the answer to one main questions, "Did you do something to Charlie to make him bite you".  At the time, out of fear of getting in trouble, my answer was no.  "No mama, I didn't do anything to the dog."  "No, I did not stomp at him, hit him, or anything like that, he just jumped up and bit me."  I lied.  For the fear of my life, I lied.  When the truth was, I deserved to be punished by my parents and my babysitter because I provoked the dog to do what was in his natural instinct, protect himself.  Yet instead of being punished, I was treated with so much love, care, and concern and I would even venture to believe that Charlie was punished in some ways instead.

I want to talk about what happens when someone else takes the place of what we deserve to get.  I want to talk about how we are so fortunate and blessed to enter into a greatness, a life of purpose, and prosperity despite our own shortcomings and indiscretions.  I want to talk about how we have been given the ability to succeed in so many things and so many times when we often feel insignificant or insecure about who we are because of what we've done or in many cases, what we haven't done.  There are so many people who have worked extremely hard to be where they are and I salute you.  However, in today's times, even hard work doesn't guarantee your upward mobility in your career and even in life.  It's almost as if there is a power at work, a force that is moving on your behalf.  It's almost as if despite your shortcomings, and we all have many, you were granted with the ability to do amazing things, not because you deserved them, but because you were worthy of a chance.  That force, that power, my friends is GRACE.  His amazing grace opens doors for us that we can't imagine.  That amazing grace keeps us in places that we personally don't deserve, not because you haven't worked hard, but because sometimes we forget that He is working on our behalf and we think it's all about us.  Sometimes, we tend to complain more than we offer thanks and gratitude.  Sometimes, we forget that those who are less fortunate could've been us at some point in our life had it not been for GRACE! 

After a while, I grew up and didn't go to my babysitter's employer that much so I stopped seeing Charlie.  However, if I could see Charlie again, I would tell him thank you for taking my place.  Thank you taking the heat of the wrong that I did.  Thank you for still seeing the good in me even when I showed you the bad. 

Now that I think about it, I think we all have one other mutual person to thank.  Thank you Jesus for taking my place.  Thank you Jesus for taking the heat of the wrong that I did and would one day do.  Thank you for still seeing the good in me even when I showed you the bad.  Thank you for creating a place for me even though I fail to thank you for it and give you the glory.  Thank you for believing that I could be great and not holding my indiscretions against me.  Thank you for allowing the world to see me as you see me, THROUGH THE BLOOD THAT WAS SHED AT CALVARY! 

Thank you , Sweet Jesus, for your GRACE!