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It can be discouraging how some respond to events they disagree with. Why is it that we want grace and understanding when we fall short, but are so unwilling to give someone else the same courtesy? Why is it that we fail to see the value of someone’s life before we so quickly grind it in the dirt under our feet? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
What have we become? We have moved so far away from an understanding society it is difficult to see what value God has in us. Why are we so unwilling to value the one thing that God holds in the highest regard, life, our life.
Recently I witnessed an on-track reaction that seriously injured another competitor. We have lost the value of someone else’s life. We respond in a way that only considers our selfish views, what we want, what we think, what we want to do. We have become a society that devalues human life. We act in ways that indicate the only one that matters is me.
Racing used to be different where respect and concern for fellow competitors was the standard. Unfortunately, we have followed the rest of society down the path of condemnation without grace or understanding. God doesn’t see things that way.
John 3:16-17; For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
If God refused to condemn us and even made a way for us to be restored; why is it that we so easily condemn and discard the lives of those around us? There is forgiveness in God’s Word!
Have you ever done something wrong? Seems like a simple question with a simple answer, but why do we forget that when it comes time to forgive someone else when they do something wrong? Forgiveness is something we want to receive but many times are not as willing to give.
I can remember several occasions that mistakes have been made, by me and others, on and off the track. Sometimes mistakes take on a life of their own. At times we decide that some mistakes are greater than others. We even give certain people a pass while others get crucified. Let me set the record straight, we all fall short of perfection, we all fall short of God’s standard.
We all have shortcomings. We all make choices that seem right at the time but in retrospect they were not the correct ones. That being said, why have we become a society that condemns before we forgive? We disrespect God and the value he placed on our lives when we refuse to forgive. Getting even is not the right way to deal with mistakes.
Romans 8:23; There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
And the penalty is the same;
Romans 6:23a; For the wages of sin is death,
But when we look at the rest of that verse and we start to see what God intends for us.
Romans 6:23b; but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God said I will make a way for your shortcomings to be forgiven; I will send My Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for you. Now if God is ready to forgive and restore us to a right relationship with Him, who are we to withhold that from others? Who are we to judge and condemn those around us who fall short?
Forgive and forget; a familiar refrain, but one of the most difficult things for us to do. We want to get back at the person who wronged us. We have a need to get even. We have our rights and no one is going to take advantage of us. We say that we forgive but we will never forget. We tend to be unforgiving people when it comes to others, but we want to be forgiven when it comes to us.
We would be remiss if we didn’t discuss the consequences for our actions. There are consequences to every decision we make. Those consequences not only affect us but they affect everyone around us. The consequences of our decisions don’t go away when we are forgiven, they remain. But let me be clear, condemnation from others is not a consequence of poor decisions; that is not the way God sees it.
God provided this opportunity for forgiveness and we receive it by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. When we do we make peace with God, we restore our relationship with Him, and our sin is forgiven, remembered no more.
We cannot receive the full blessing of God if we refuse to forgive others. Our unwillingness to forgive implies that our standard is greater than God’s. That is not correct; God’s standard is the only one that counts. If God is willing to forgive you there is no reason we could have for not forgiving others. We need to value what God’s values, the lives of each one of us.
Make that commitment this week, that we will value what God values. Commit that we will go to people you have refused to forgive and forgive them. We will rise above the crowd of condemnation and restore the value that God places on each one of our lives. Let those directly affected by wrong decisions work through the consequences. Ours is not to decide how someone else should be punished.
Luke 6:31; Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
Don’t worry if they refuse to accept it, many have refused to accept the forgiveness that God offers. We are not called to make people accept our forgiveness, but to offer the gift. Value what God values, offer that gift to someone today.
Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.
