The Sad Face Is Not the Issue

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Now, let me be clear. The illustration from my unworthy walk as a member of a caring albeit imperfect family has to do with my conscience and not the look on the man’s face.

For example, I might have made the same remarks to some of my peers huddled together well out of earshot of pesky adults. It is likely my audience would have found them hilarious; but if I knew the kids to be spiteful of their own parents, God might have used their laughter to jolt my conscience.

Similarly, if the road worker had burst out laughing and told me I was beginning to sound like quite the man, a dark doubt might have crossed my mind.

On the other hand, if I were already committed to demeaning my family, any of those responses could have advanced my unworthy walk. The power of the laughter of my friends and the praise of the road worker would have flattered my ego; and the surprised and saddened look of the road worker could have given me a feeling of accomplishment. There is a certain satisfaction for the rebellious child when he makes adults uncomfortable.

That day in that truck God may have been working on my conscience to prepare me for the time, three years later, when he would encounter me with his grace. But when he did, that grace did not do for my conscience what some seem to think it has done for them.

Professing grace recipients today seem to delight both in redefining Christianity in general and grace in particular to justify anger and the flaunting of that anger with vulgarity. They also seem dedicated to espousing with energy (in the name of love) things still called “sin” in Scripture. It is as though they want to walk worthy of the unsaved, garner the praise of the bad-mannered and enjoy the discomfort of those who are surprised and saddened. 

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