Grace

This morning I was talking about those marginalized people who are outside the church. Those people who we pidgin hole and call names. I spoke this morning about the need to see them as people God is interested in. I said that it was impossible to meet someone who God was not interested in. I suppose the notion I was trying to put across was that if we saw the benefit in someone through God’s eyes then perhaps it would be easier to have the courage to take the chance in reaching out to those who let’s be honest we find easier to reject. My Friend Dr. Scott Boldt from the United States who runs the Embrace Charity always finds out and remembers people’s Christian names. He said it is amazing how your attitude changes when you know someone’s Christian name.

This is a lovely notion and one that is easier to talk about than it is to put into practice.
While I was saying these words our daughter was being mugged in Belfast. She is unhurt but very shaken up.


I had said goodbye to her just before I came over to church. She had come down yesterday proudly showing me her new iPhone that she has saved for. She was having so much fun with it. As she sat in the bus station with the phone in her lap sending a text a young man reached over and snatched it from her, ripping the earphones out of her ears. She screamed very loudly and gave chase, but thankfully he got away. I dread to think what may have happened to her if she had caught up with him. She and I have had a conversation about chasing thieves.

I was talking to Frank when She called me on someone else’s phone to tell me what had happened. A very nice Irish lady had come to her aid and had secured her bag when Maggie was chasing this guy. I have been able to speak to this lady and thank her for kindness.
Now I tell you this because within a few moments of preaching this morning’s sermon I was calling this thief some very unpleasant names. I called the phone hoping to have a word in his ear, thankfully he didn’t answer.

As my blood pressure started to fall I started to think that this thief was someone God was interested in. This thief was part of the whomsoever that we had been talking about this morning. This young man who I have been calling a thief since I started talk to this evening is someone to whom the offer of Grace is available. This young man is someone in need of forgiveness. Yet my first reaction was one of anger and vengeance. Maggie is shook up, but unhurt and yet I was livid.

I have a long way to go when it comes to Grace.

I have been thinking about this all afternoon. It is so easy to demand forgiveness in others yet so hard to do it on a personal level.


I remember when I was involved in politics in the early stages of the peace process I demanded that Unionists talk to Sinn Fein. I would hurang them for their lack of outreach. Then one evening on a very busy flight from London I was sitting in business class waiting for the door to be closed. It was announced that the plane was being held for two late passengers. I knew that there were only two seats available, one at the front and one beside me. I moved into the window seat to allow one of the late-comers easy access. Soon the two men walked in. It was Gerry Adams and Martin McGuiness.

It must have taken them all of fifteen second to walk down the aisle, but in that moment I died a thousand deaths. I was horrified at the though of sitting beside either of these men. They stopped half way down and both entered a row, which I hadn’t noticed had three seats in it. It was easy to make demands of others, but almost impossible for me to make the smallest gesture. Like sitting beside someone.



A few years later I was sitting with David Irvine in his office at Stormount discussing how best to muster government support in light of Bombardier announcing 2000 redundancies. With me was My Full Time Union Official and the chairman of our Aircraft Committee. Michael was a catholic from West Belfast He had gone to meet Irvine without a second thought. When we left the meeting Our Official said we are meeting the Shinners in Connoly house tomorrow at eleven. I said I can’t. I can’t walk into Connoly house. I can’t sit down with Gerry Adams. I just can’t do it. There is too much hurt and too much pain for me to do that. My Union Official was looking at me as If I had grown another head. After a bit of a heated discussion he told me I should be ashamed of myself. And I was and I admitted I was. Michael told me not to worry as he would go. He said we do as much as we can and no one can ask for more than that. He showed such grace in his words.

When we think of how must God must feel about the hurt and pain we have caused him. He chooses, not to destroy us, but to give us a way out. He sends his son to be a sacrifice for us.
He watches as we who are his creation destroy the son he sent to save us. He has watched for two thousand years as mankind has continued to misbehave in ever more inventive ways. Now we threaten his very creation. Yet still he says come. Still he says your sins are forgiven to those who seek his forgiveness.

As I said this morning under the names we call people, Rapist Murderer, Thief there is a person. A person with a soul. A person in need of Jesus Christ. When Maggie got home from the police station she called to let us know what had happened since we last spoke to her. She told me the Police Officer asked if she wanted to press charges. She said she didn’t know. She said to me I have to forgive this man and I think I can. I’m angry and shakey, but I think I will be able to do that. She was reaching for the Grace that the gospel demands from us. She was doing better than her old man was.