Human or Divine?

15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. 16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:15-17 NLT)

We have probably all heard that to err is human, but have we ever stopped to consider just how close to divine it is to actually forgive? It is the nature of God himself evident in us that actually allows us to move from being or doing wrong into a place of forgiving one another and even forgiving ourselves. That makes forgiveness a whole lot more 'divine' than it is human! When I think if an error I think of it in terms of this little pneumonic:
Expensive
Reactions
Responses
Or
Results


All wrong responses carry a heavy price, don't they? Think about the relationship issues caused by one unthinking response and you know just how much work that requires to 'mop up' what we should have taken just a little more time to think through or consider in light of the other person's needs. Reactions are equally expensive...to much one way or the other and we open the door to all kinds of problems. The results we expected or desired can cost us tremendously when they haven't been considered up front. Errors cost us in terms of time, energy, trust, etc.

Yet, despite the cost, we make them...sometimes repeatedly! There are those we make unthinking, while others are quite well thought out, even if they are wrong! Why we make errors isn't as easily understood as how quickly we can actually make them! We sometimes look back in amazement, wondering just how quickly things spiraled out of control, finding ourselves deep in a pit we didn't expect and have very little idea of how we will ever be able climb out of! The good news is that forgiveness isn't just about us - it is about a little piece of God in us - something bordering on the "Divine" himself. Grace is just a little piece of Jesus - maybe grace is just that little piece we need for the issue we have created today.

We err frequently - but my hope is that we will use every opportunity where we have erred to actually see a little bit more of the divine take the place of that which we have created by our error! One man can sin, leading many others into bondage. One man can extend grace, leading many more to understand the love of God. The choice to err may not always be wisest or easiest to resist, but the choice to reach out in grace, embracing the forgiveness provided by the Blood of Jesus is not only wise, it creates a culture in which grace is both breathed in and breathed out. It means the error, while human in nature, isn't what holds us any longer - it means grace moves us into a new place and helps take the place those wrong reactions, responses, or results into a place of transforming power. Just sayin!

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