safe harbor

on the second floor of my office building, my boss's father keeps his business. he is one of the kindest, friendliest, most encouaging people i've ever met. if i could offer half the witness he does with his treatment of others, i'd consider myself wholly blessed.



so when business took me up there this afternoon, i eagerly popped my head into his office and we ended up talking for about 20 minutes. he asked about my family, my upbringing, my brother, and my church. it was a thoroughly enjoyable conversation in a way that few are. so when he asked me how i was finding the company, i was delighted to tell him how much i'm loving the enviroment, how amazing his sons are, all this joy that's bubbling out of me as we're talking. talking with him makes me joyful - i wish i had that gift!



so in my clumsy and indirect fashion, i told him how, as i'd driven home after my first day i was struck by the fact that i hadn't heard anyone speak badly of anyone else - not once. and he kind of tilted his head to the side and said "that's funny - that's been coming up in our bible studies lately, how we're not to harbor enmity against others, because christ killed it on the cross."



the wheels started turning in my head as i considered that - that hatred isn't the opposite of grace, nor anger, nor resentment nor bitterness. those are all facets of enmity - positive, active, hatred or ill will. it's not just failing to choose forgiveness, it's choosing unforgiveness.



grace chooses love above all else, puts the needs of others before the self, resulting in unity and deeper relationship. enmity chooses pride above all else, places the demands of the self first, and creates discord and seperation.



so if we are saved by grace, if christ's work was to provide grace for us, if we are to walk in his footsteps and live as he lived, then mustn't we put away every ill thought, every buried resentment, every willful remembrance of hurt? because in remembering these things we not only fail to follow him, we work against him.