Ordinary Time

February 4, 2022

Scripture Reading:
1 Corinthians 15:1-11

For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to someone untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace towards me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe. —1  Corinthians 15 3-11

The story of John Newton, author of the hymn Amazing Grace came to mind as I read Paul’s acknowledgment by the grace of God, I am what I am. After his conversion, Paul had to live with his history of persecuting Christians. When he wrote this as the person he had become, he was the primary leader responsible for taking Christ’s love and message to the gentiles and welcoming them as Christ’s followers. John Newton worked for years on slave ships and made his wealth in the slave trade until he too had a conversion experience that introduced him to God’s grace.

As followers of Christ, we are called to introduce others to the grace of God. We may first need to revisit our own experiences with God’s grace. We most likely never persecuted Christians or sold slaves. I fear our sins fall in the area of ignoring justice undone and allowing atrocities to happen. I watched with interest everyone’s consternation that all our foreign-made Christmas gifts were setting on delivery ships in the ocean and would not arrive in time for Christmas. We allowed that to happen and wound up in this mess because for years we have prospered through the near slave labor of the people manufacturing the things we want in those foreign countries. At the same time, our manufacturing jobs slipped away forcing more and more people into service jobs that do not pay living wages.  Justice cries out for all people to earn at least a living wage.

I am sure Paul and John Newton did much soul-searching throughout their lives. We, too, need to be humbled by the gift of grace God grants us as we sometimes stumble through becoming the person God created us to be. When needed we must be willing to offer grace to others.

Prayer: Lord, help me to see when acts of grace are needed on my part and to follow your lead and offer them. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.