What’s So Amazing About Grace?
I have a bad case of jet lag. Really bad.
I experienced it going TO Europe a few weeks ago, and I got it again coming BACK to Oregon a few days ago. I didn’t think it would affect my return trip, because I was drinking lots of water, holding off bedtime, and doing all the right-please-don’t-get-jet lag-John-things.
But, it got me.
I’m typing this blog in the wee early hours of morning, having been up since 2 am-ish, having just finished reading The Canceling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Rikki Schlott. I don’t say this often about our assigned reading in our doctoral program (looking at you Max Weber and Karl Polanyi), but I couldn’t put this one down. For me, it was a page turner. I understand that “mileage may vary” for others. You may have skimmed it or thought it sucked royally, but I LOVED it. It answered so many burning questions for me as to how we “got here,” and by “here” I mean this cultural juggernaut of a moment in which we don’t know what to say or not to say, basically we’re “danged if we do and danged if we don’t.” This is coming from one who was told to my face that “Silence is Violence” and then later that week, after saying something, I was then referred to as a Socialist Woke Marxist.
Ah, dang.
I tried so hard, did what I could to the best of my ability, but I too got jet lag. I’m teasingly calling it “jet lag” because I couldn’t in all integrity say I got “cancelled.” That would be a gross overstatement. I like to joke, but I’m no Dave Chappelle. However, as a public person with a platform (also known as a pulpit) I HAVE misspoke, I have said things that were misconstrued (remind me to tell you about the time I was accused of supporting and distributing WEED at church!), and I have even said things that were outright stupid (remind me to tell you about the time I said that ‘Jesus pooped,’ and because He is God His poop must be huge!), and yes, admittedly, I have said things that could be deemed to be offensive. Not intentionally, of course. I’m not a monster.
Each time when there has been a “reaction” to what I have said, I have felt a little “jet lagged.” I’ve experienced that out of body feeling with sparkly, tingly vision, sluggish and heavy body movements, replete with a sick stomach and a throbbing headache. And when I’ve been made aware of my short-comings, I have endeavored to apologize, and ask for grace to be extended.
There it is: grace.
Let that word sink in.
Grace.
In The Canceling of the American Mind there was a plea for grace. I wasn’t overt; the authors only mentioned the word “grace” 4-5 times throughout the book, and yet, each time my eyes crossed the word “grace” something in my soul resonated.
We need grace. Grace extended. Grace received. We. Need. Grace.
In no way does it gloss over wrongdoing nor malicious intent, which is exactly what the Apostle Pauls was getting at in Romans 6:1-2, in asking and answering: “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!” A few verses prior to that he reminds us “where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (Romans 5:20).
We need grace. Bono of the Irish rock band U2, in a conversation with music journalist Michka Assayas has called grace ““The most powerful idea that’s entered the world in the last few thousand years.” He also has said, “…along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that “as you reap, so you will sow” stuff. Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I’ve done a lot of stupid stuff. But I’d be in big trouble if Karma was going to finally be my judge. I’d be in deep s—. It doesn’t excuse my mistakes, but I’m holding out for Grace. I’m holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don’t have to depend on my own religiosity.”
What Bono said is worth reiterating: “it doesn’t excuse my mistakes, but I’m holding out for Grace.”
Perhaps at the core of the so-called Cancel Culture is an earnest desire to have people and power structures called into account for their grievous mistakes, particularly those foisted upon the marginalized and down-trodden. That’s good. Thank you. But it goes too far, as most good things tend to do when left to our own devices (ie: sin nature). The call for cancelation becomes akin to the painful burden and shame that it tried to rightly address. And, thus, we are in a crazy cycle. What will yank us out of that crazy cycle, you ask?
Grace.
Mind you, it doesn’t excuse sin, hide it, or sweep it under the proverbial carpet. It reveals it so it may heal it. The Cancel Culture is giving us a Master Class on the first part: REVEAL. Call it out. Tweet it. Post it. “Shame, shame, everyone knows your name!”
But it woefully fails in the second part; the healing part. Only grace can do that.
Author Philip Yancey calls grace the “last best word.” He wrote an entire book on grace entitled “What’s So Amazing About Grace?” and it ought to be required reading for the whole of the human race. Not all will agree with me, of course, especially since the crux of Yancey’s message regarding grace is that of the person of Jesus Christ. He was and is a polarizing figure. I fully understand that there are those that do not agree with my recommendation of Yancey’s book nor the central figure within: Jesus.
And that’s OK. Grace goes both ways. That’s what makes it so amazing.
Oh, look, it’s 7:37 AM. I’m gonna go back to bed.
I definitely know how it feels to be “jet-lagged.”
About the Author
John Fehlen
John Fehlen is currently the Lead Pastor of West Salem Foursquare Church. Prior to that he served at churches in Washington and California. A graduate of Life Pacific University in San Dimas, CA in Pastoral Ministry, and Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, CA with a Masters in Leadership and Spirituality. He and his wife Denise have four grown children and four grandchildren. John is the author of "Don't Give Up: Encouragement for Weary Souls in Challenging Times," a book for pastoral leaders, a children's book called "The Way I See You," and the forthcoming "Leave A Mark: The Jouney of Intentional Parenting." You can connect with John on Instagram (@johnfehlen) as well as at johnfehlen.substack.com.14 responses to “What’s So Amazing About Grace?”
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Ahh…GRACE.
Thanks for bringing this back into our dialogue. In my over fixated gaze on immigration (and the drama of the news on the Senate passed Immigration bill, now headed “dead on arrival” to the house).
I wonder if GRACE ever entered into the minds of our politicians.
Nope NO grace. Sigh.
Still perhaps we in the “third space” a mental and physical location can put on our God Lens and create bridges between those who don’t believe in immigration and those that do.
Selah.
Russell, you brought up “third spaces” on our call this last week, and between that and your blog response, it got me thinking…
Our current culture keeps emphasizing “safe spaces.” According to Wikipedia the term safe space refers to places “intended to be free of bias, conflict, criticism, or potentially threatening actions, ideas, or conversations.”
I find that these spaces hold to this definition unless you’re an outspoken Christian. If you fall into that category then you are not free to speak (as I see it, certainly that’s my opinion).
I wonder if a better term and prospect might be “Grace Spaces” – places where robust engagement, even disagreement can be expressed, and yet with such lavished GRACE. Grace to hold a different opinion. Grace to think broadly. Grace to speak without reprisal.
To me, GRACE is what is needed. Not just a safe space in which no body says anything that could be potentially deemed as offensive or possess a bias (which is ludicrous to think we will never carry a bias!), but rather a space in which one can speak freely, listen to counterpoints, banter and extend grace to one another.
Ah, now that would be awesome.
Grace Space…..
Ohhh…I love it!
Can I use it for my symposium?
Shalom….
STEAL like an artist, Russell!!!
🙂
Grace.
My favorite word. My favorite thought. It can change the world.
Cancel culture and grace are diametrically opposed to one another. I can understand how people deserve to be canceled,… I’m sure deserve it myself… but GRACE. Wow. A totally underserved reality. But a free gift offered by God.
Over this last 5 years I’ve often thought that the church has lost its orientation for grace. Which is a total loss. Jesus gives us nothing but grace and we’re called to do the same for others.
Imagine how attractive the church would be if we offered free grace instead of cancel culture.
Wow.
I have to wonder if at its “genesis” the cancel culture began with a foundation of grace, and yet, like most everything, devolved into rules, legalism, reprisal, and retribution.
Even the idea of a “safe space” – the term safe space refers to places “intended to be free of bias, conflict, criticism, or potentially threatening actions, ideas, or conversations.” And yet, look at how that has devolved into “this is a space in which if you hold to a view that is deemed offensive or not up to snuff culturally you will receive bias, conflict, criticism, threatening actions, etc.
It devolved. Oh that it – and by “it” I mean the whole world (humanity, culture, institutions, etc) could return to a “safe space”…nay, a “grace space” rather than rules, legalism, reprisal, and retribution!
Great post, John. The book that I had a hard time putting down this semester was Mounk’s book. This one was probably a close second or third, though. What I did want to find out about more was Jonathan Haidt, as I thought his Foreword to this book was worth the price of the book. But I talk more about Haidt in my post. He seems like a subject matter expert in the social media / use of technology and well-being space. Alas, because I am not on social media, I was not aware of him until this past year.
I do keep up a tiny bit with a few of my friends who ARE on various social media channels (sometimes to see if THEY are getting canceled – ha!), but I’ve stayed away for the most part. There IS an article that just dropped last week on Substack that names some names (a friend sent it to me) and I reflect on that article in an upcoming post. I’d love for you to take a look at it and see if there an aspect of grace that could be introduced into the author’s conversation, or if it stands as is. Get some rest.
I enjoyed Mounk as well. And I too was not familiar with Jonathan Haidt, although, oddly enough, I had one of his books on my shelf, unread. My oldest son recommend that I read “The Coddling of the American Mind” so I bought it and there it sat unread. I’m anxious to get into it, which incidentally, Haidt’s latest book, coming out at the end of March, is called “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.” That sounds like a barn-burner too. Ah, too many books TO REAAAAAAD!!!!
After I hit enter on this reply, I’m heading over to your blog Travis. I love how you think and process.
John,
Thanks for bringing us back to what fuels us to live in this world but not of it. As I read your blog I thought of so many who have had their time of being canceled for one reason or another and yet extended grace.
John Newton also comes to mind. He could definitely be canceled by today’s standards, but God forgave and reframed his story. Amazing!
About 20 minutes ago, I was getting my hair cut at my regular barber. There was classic barbershop banter going on while I was in there. The guy in the chair ahead of me made reference to a young person he knows that is “MMRD.” I wasn’t familiar with that term so I asked him what it means and he replied, “mentally retarded and/or developmentally delayed/disabled.”
Even as I write that I feel odd, because we simply do not say “retarded” any longer. However, as a child of the 80’s that was a common term bantered around, similar to that of saying something or someone was “gay” – and not necessarily in a sexual way.
All that to say, terms change, and yes, we need to catch up….and yet…I also think our distribution of GRACE also needs to catch up!
I would be the first to admit that I personally would be ‘cancelled’ according to the standards of today, based upon stupid (can I even say the word stupid?) things I’ve done or said a long time ago.
That’s not to excuse sin, wrongdoing, etc. – It’s only to thank Jesus for his forgiveness and restoration! The Apostle Paul says “the old is gone, and the new has come! Praise God for his mercy which is new every morning, every week, month, year, and every generation!
John~ You wrote the following paragraph giving us a glimpse of how a leading pastor might feel:
“Each time when there has been a “reaction” to what I have said, I have felt a little “jet lagged.” I’ve experienced that out of body feeling with sparkly, tingly vision, sluggish and heavy body movements, replete with a sick stomach and a throbbing headache. And when I’ve been made aware of my short-comings, I have endeavored to apologize, and ask for grace to be extended.” Please model for us (for me) how someone who is called as a pastor in our culture responds inwardly to God when these things happen. I want to learn how to encourage our spiritual leaders because I just cannot imagine the pressure, the questioning and the days you may wonder if it’s time to move on. BUT perhaps you don’t go there. That’s what I am wondering. Thanks for being authentic in your post. I would love to hear from many on this!
Welp, I won’t lie to you by saying something like “Oh, Pam, when I’ve been hurt I just call out on the name of the Lord, and his peace washes over me…, blah, blah, blah.” I should do that, but instead I tend to “stew” until Denise tells me to stop it, or I can take a long walk and get my head on swivel again.
Honestly, I try to recall something a mentor friend told me, “You knew the job would be hard when you signed up for it.”
Enjoyed your post, John. In fact, those around me in the coffee shop I am in just heard me laugh out loud.
I agree with your premise that we need to be exercising Grace with each other. (someone has already commented on my post that we were on a similar wavelength with our posts) Reading your thoughts surfaced a new question: is it possible that the struggle we are seeing with this concept in the Church may have connections to the fact that we are not reflecting on the Grace we have received? Maybe another way to say it is that we are not showing grace to others because we are not living in gratitude of the grace we have received?
Thoughts?
Jesus, in Matthew 10 said “Freely you have received; freely give.” Perhaps, in light of your questions, we’re simply not cognitive of what we have been given – we don’t fully appreciate our salvation, forgiveness and redemption – Ala GRACE – therefore we’re not able to give it to the fullest, because we haven’t received it to the fullest!