The wife of C. S. Lewis, Joy Davidman Lewis wrote the following in her book Smoke on the Mountain:
Most of the ordinary people who lose their faith are not overthrown by philosophical argument; they are disillusioned by the churchmen they meet. One sanctimonious hypocrite makes a hundred unbelievers.
Isn't that the truth. As we continue to explore what kind of church The City needs, it's hard to overestimate the importance of creating an environment of grace, forgiveness, and patience. Sure, we have to challenge each other to live lives that are consistent with our profession of faith, and there's always a place for others to show us our blind spots. But how do we go about that in a way that has a subtext of grace and care instead of judgment and pride? A theology of patience, now that's an interesting idea to explore. It has to take into account the nature and difficulty of change, the stubbornness of sin, and the reality of just how broken this world can be. The people who have made the biggest difference in my life had a unique kind of patience with me. They were able to make me feel like I could tell them anything about my life, and they would neither affirm every choice I made, nor judge me without hearing me out. They dealt with me from a standpoint of grace, with a sober assessment of themselves in the process.
I think this is a tricky balance, but one the gospel can help us attain. The gospel reminds us that God had to do an intervention to renew our lives and the world. He had to rescue us. All of us. This means that anyone who calls themselves a Christian is a grace miracle. A recipient of God's unmerited favor. Remembering this should make us quick to see our own foibles, and slow to point out the foibles of others. Easier said than done right? And that's why we need to gather together often, in community, in celebrating together on Sunday, to remind each other of the miracle of grace. It's our only hope of creating a culture of grace and patience. A culture where the cracked image of God, the broken and messy people, the ones Jesus called "harassed and helpless" people like, well, us, can look around and say "now this is a place for people like me". We'll talk more about this on Sunday, hope to see you there.
