Only By Grace
Read Psalm 5.
One of the things we love about movies and good stories is the triumph of good over evil. There is an inherent need within us to see good win; we know, deep within us, that such should be the way of the world. So when a story ends on a note where the "bad guys" seem to win, it leaves us uncertain, unmoored and a little bit lost.
The psalms echo this theme over and over again. The good/righteous people are loved by God and thus, they win. The bad/evil people, we are told, will lose in the end, no matter how much it seems as if they are "winning" now. It is faith in God's goodness and the ultimate triumph of good over evil that gives the psalmist hope, that keeps him going even when things seems bleak.
But notice how the psalmist defines "evil." It's not what we often think of evil: the mustache-twirling villain, the one with the evil plan to conquer the world, the person who hates puppies. Did you notice who the psalmist includes in the "evil" category? The arrogant (verse 5)—those who "know" they are better than everyone else, who have no problem tearing others down to build themselves up. Have you checked out social media lately? Those who do wrong and tell lies (verse 6)—evil comes through in actions and in speech. Have you ever known someone who has told so many lies they no longer know what the truth is? The bloodthirsty (yes, we understand that one) and the deceitful (verse 7)—maybe not just outright lying, but leading you to believe something that isn't quite true. The teller of half-truths. The one who misleads, who implies something that isn't quite true, the one who inflates the numbers on their reports. Those folks are linked with the bloodthirsty—ponder that for a moment.
And then, in an interesting twist, the psalmist admits that these categories of evil likely include us to some level. So he admits that it is only by God's great love, God's incredible grace, that any of us, him especially (me especially) have any chance of appearing in God's presence. It's only by grace that any of us can claim any sort of righteousness, because on our own we tend to default to any number of evil behaviors and thoughts. Only by grace. Only by invitation (Message). Only because of God's welcoming love do we have any hope.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn had it right when he said, "The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being." All too true.
One of the things we love about movies and good stories is the triumph of good over evil. There is an inherent need within us to see good win; we know, deep within us, that such should be the way of the world. So when a story ends on a note where the "bad guys" seem to win, it leaves us uncertain, unmoored and a little bit lost.
The psalms echo this theme over and over again. The good/righteous people are loved by God and thus, they win. The bad/evil people, we are told, will lose in the end, no matter how much it seems as if they are "winning" now. It is faith in God's goodness and the ultimate triumph of good over evil that gives the psalmist hope, that keeps him going even when things seems bleak.
But notice how the psalmist defines "evil." It's not what we often think of evil: the mustache-twirling villain, the one with the evil plan to conquer the world, the person who hates puppies. Did you notice who the psalmist includes in the "evil" category? The arrogant (verse 5)—those who "know" they are better than everyone else, who have no problem tearing others down to build themselves up. Have you checked out social media lately? Those who do wrong and tell lies (verse 6)—evil comes through in actions and in speech. Have you ever known someone who has told so many lies they no longer know what the truth is? The bloodthirsty (yes, we understand that one) and the deceitful (verse 7)—maybe not just outright lying, but leading you to believe something that isn't quite true. The teller of half-truths. The one who misleads, who implies something that isn't quite true, the one who inflates the numbers on their reports. Those folks are linked with the bloodthirsty—ponder that for a moment.
And then, in an interesting twist, the psalmist admits that these categories of evil likely include us to some level. So he admits that it is only by God's great love, God's incredible grace, that any of us, him especially (me especially) have any chance of appearing in God's presence. It's only by grace that any of us can claim any sort of righteousness, because on our own we tend to default to any number of evil behaviors and thoughts. Only by grace. Only by invitation (Message). Only because of God's welcoming love do we have any hope.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn had it right when he said, "The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being." All too true.
Comments
Post a Comment