Butt, For Grace!

Do you have childhood (discipline) experiences peppered with these type of statements from your parents/guardians?: “If you don’t do what I say, you’re gonna get a whoopin’!”, “If you’re gonna live in my house, there are some rules you WILL follow”, “Didn’t I tell you to_______, since you didn’t I’m gonna beat your butt!”, etc. I did. . .my parents created an environment where the expectations were clear and the consequences for failure to comply were clearer and consistent. Mom and Dad often said, “This is gonna hurt me more than it hurts you” (I would think, then why am I the only one hollering, crying and feeling pain).  Perhaps, like me, you wondered, why the consequences targeted a specific portion of anatomy, “our butts?”

Many years have passed, now I am the one bellowing these parental orders, compelling my troops to obey their chain of command.  I, too, communicate clear expectations and the consequences for failure to comply are clearer and consistent.  One lazy, rainy afternoon while playing in the house, my restless kindergartner and his rambunctious little brother indiscriminately persisted on whining and skirmishing. Hearing enough I demanded to know, “what is going on?” After hearing their bestest (that’s my word) toddler explanations, on cue I responded; “Didn’t I tell you to play quietly and respectfully?”, they replied, “Yes sir”. “So, what should happen?” (Trained with clear expectations and understanding the consequences for failure to comply), they responded, “Consequences”.  In my drill daddy tone, I enlisted my boys to turn around because “you didn’t listen so I’m gonna beat your butt!”

But, an epiphany invaded the moment. The law of karma which says ‘for every cause there is an effect’ or ‘for every action, there is a reaction’ was active BUT it dawned on me to disrupt it.  Upon reflection, with stern discipline my parents guided me into adulthood and there were countless instances warranting consequences BUT many times my parents did not impose any.  Revisiting, my own parenting the occasions are numerous where I refrain from beating their butts.  BUT, I had not shared the reasons with my boys, nor had my parents with me – this aha moment – led me to once again refrain and instead; I taught them about grace.

I continued with “what should happen now?” In unison, they said, “consequences”. I said “yes BUT there is something called grace, do you know what that is?” “No sir”.  “Grace is when we deserve consequences BUT don’t receive them.  So, Daddy is going to extend grace to you.  Do you understand?” “Yes sir”! “What does grace mean?” “We’re not going to get consequences”. “That’s correct (hugs) now go play quietly and respectfully”.

As children of God, the occasions we receive grace are numerous.  Just as I was and my children were unaware; more often then we will ever recognize God refrains from imposing consequences for our sins. The Bible is replete with examples of God teaching us about and inviting our awareness of grace. In Psalm 130:3-4, the psalmist captures the essence of grace:

Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive?

But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to worship you.

Grace simply put is God’s exception to the law of consequences for failure to comply.  Through grace, our butts aren’t the target, Jesus is seeking our hearts. Think about all of your own indiscriminate persistence of sinning (whining and skirmishing) and take a moment to recognize:

Butt, for Grace!

Everyday every one of us needs Grace! Everyday All of us receive Grace.

BUT

Hopefully, everyday we seek awareness of Grace and learn to worship Jesus.

Much Love,

Pastor Singleton