“I was chatting with a few people one day when the topic of salvation came up, specifically who would and wouldn’t be allowed into heaven. We were doing what we aren’t supposed to do – we were playing God. We’d name individuals we’d consider to be “on the fence” of eternal glory and foolishly determine their fate. Despite its gravity, it was a lighthearted conversation. That is, until the conversation turned toward certain evil deeds which much of the group considered to be unforgivable. We had done it. We had drawn the line. There would be no grace for them.

It’s been a few years since that conversation, but it still haunts me. Why did we draw the line? Why would we limit God’s ability to forgive? Is God’s mercy so powerless that it has a cap? Or could it be that God’s grace is much more comprehensive than we are comfortable with? Would it make our blood boil and cry out, “Not them! That’s not fair!”

Honestly? I hope so. I believe that God’s grace is so large and encompassing that we should be shocked by its unfairness. I imagine we will get to heaven and be stunned at those whose darkened hearts were lit in the splendidness of Christ’s mercy. We will all stand as reformed sinners in heaven, and the magnitude of the sin will be irrelevant in the brilliant reflection of Jesus.

Friends, God’s grace isn’t fair. And we should be grateful that it isn’t, because we all need Jesus. The vastness of God’s mercy is startling, perhaps even disturbing. We may get to heaven and bump into our earthly worst enemy, because the brilliance of the light of God’s grace may reach even the darkest of crevices. That is the very gospel itself. It’s absurd and sometimes even difficult to fathom, but I am ever so thankful for the irrational, illogical good news of grace!” – Janelle Gregory

(Janelle Gregory serves on the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection staff as a Human Resources Specialist)