Not Because I’m Good.

I have the tremendous opportunity to travel around the state of Indiana meeting with pastors and ministry leaders. On any given month, I can average between 17 and 20 ministerial groups that gather for prayer and encouragement as well as planning community events. I consider it a real honor to be able to eavesdrop on these special meetings with pastors. I know for me, in my own community of Grant County, Indiana, I enjoy the fellowship of ministry leaders who gather for prayer and encouragement that lifts my spirit!

So many are unaware of the tremendous load the pastors carry and these gatherings are an opportunity to lift each other up as they lead ministries throughout their community. As part of these gatherings, they talk about some incredible ministry that they provide including emergency funding to low income families or services to meet the needs of those who are their neighbors. Many of these groups collect funds in support food pantries that are literally helping thousands of people, while also demonstrating the love of Christ through these ministries.

It’s also an opportunity for ministry updates and to be encouraged as stories are shared. I’m always inspired as I attend these groups because I see the sacrificial commitment of pastors and community leaders who give of their own resources to help others.

While attending one of these meetings a story was told that truly is remarkable. It's a story written by Daniel Montgomery and Timothy Paul Jones in the book, PROOF: Finding Freedom through the Intoxicating Joy of Irresistible Grace. It is a story of adoption that clearly conveys the love that Christ has for us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. It’s a statement of love and grace.  I read a quote recently that reminds me that our past is a piece of reference not a place of residence. This simple reminder, in part, is what we all need to remember. Let me summarize the story as it was shared with me.

The story is of an adopted child who was not allowed to participate in all of the family activities. Yes, that’s remarkable to think about. As it turned out, that child was placed back into foster care and eventually the opportunity became available to be adopted. Yet, the pain and difficulty of the previous home was dramatic and difficult for such a young child. Quite often the child’s activities were limited to only natural children in this home. One trip was to Disney World where the adopted child was not allowed to be in attendance because this was a "family event." As you can imagine, this child was further traumatize through this exclusion. The child often felt that it was because she was a bad child or that she had done something wrong and she was not able to participate.

Observing this was another family, who knew of this child and eventually had the opportunity to adopt that child into their family through foster care. One of the trips that they planned was particularly developed so that this adopted child could experience a family vacation. They planned a trip to go to Disney as a family. The adoptive child was included in those plans.

Leading up to the trip however, the adopted child begin to act out in negative ways. As the trip neared and the packing began, this child begin to act negatively and cause trouble for the other siblings in the family. Even during the first few days of the trip, the adopted child acted very poorly and would often create trouble and a fuss. Eventually the child presented less and less of a problem and was better behaved. It was as if the child ran out of fuel and all the fuss.

Later, during one of those evenings during the trip to Disney, the father sat on the bed of the young child who was adopted into their family. He simply said, "What do you think of the trip so far?" A little girl, very much aware of her fuss and misbehavior, responded by telling of some of the exciting things that she saw and did during the trip. The father affirmed the little girl by talking about some of the things that he also enjoyed about having her along for the family vacation.

To the father’s surprised, the adopted daughter quieted and softly said, "I am not on this trip because I’m good but because I’m yours."

Remarkably, the story demonstrates the grace that our Lord has for us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. It’s such a remarkable story about his love and grace. The meaning of the story is significant. Sometimes we tend to believe that the Lord response to us and rewards us because we are good but in reality, we cannot earn his love. At some point in our Christian journey we discover that we could never be good enough but, He accepts us into His family because He chooses to! We become His through the incredible gift of Grace and mercy, not because we are good but because we are His!