2nd chances or not?

What's the big deal about 2nd chances?

Why are 2^nd chances so important to me, and why should they be so important to you?

This is a tough topic, but we are obligated to get this right.  I’ll get to that in a minute.

Here are some types of people I’ve observed:

• Some can hold a grudge for a lifetime. 
• Many of us have a hard time with forgiving people that have wronged us, which is understandable. 
• Many of that same group can forgive as long as they weren’t personally affected. 
• There is a group of people that forgives, but are cautious with future trust, so almost with a conditional type of forgiveness, they wait to see how the forgiven behaves in the future. 
• Some people forgive quickly and are ready to move on immediately with full trust restored.

Stories like Lance Armstrong, Michael Vick, Michael English (or pick your politician / TV preacher) tend to reveal where we land on how to treat people that blow it.

Where do you tend to land?  Where does God land about them?  Where did He land about you?

2^nd chances are a big deal to me, because I’ve been a big recipient of them. 

My story is one of foolish, selfish & immature choices, and all while I grew up in a Christian family, and then while serving at a church on staff.  As sin goes, everything came crashing down.  As I travelled to Indiana, went through a divorce, started parenting from afar by sending child support and visiting a few times a year, I was at the bottom and didn’t deserve anything but to stay there.  Nothing turned out like I thought it would.  I had lost everything.  Eventually, I stopped running and took the invitation of a friend to visit a church on the south side of Indy.

A pastor, a church body, new friends, my former pastor, my parents, old friends, the list goes on and on – all rallied around me.  They listened, forgave, prayed, counseled, and overwhelmed me with the concept that my life and my usefulness to God were not over, and over time, I started to believe them.

There were bumps (called consequences), and there will be more, but I’m 10 years past being at “rock bottom” and God has given me a giant 2^nd chance at marriage, parenting, ministry, and relationships with people that could have turned their back on me.

Maybe your story is similar to mine, or maybe its completely different.  Maybe you are in need of a 2^nd chance right now.  If you’ll look closely, there is probably someone in your life who desperately needs you to give him or her a 2^nd chance.

What would God say or do?  Is He sulking or angry?  Is He shocked and surprised that we blew it?  Is He dreaming up our punishment?  Luke 15:11-32 would make a strong case that He is on the “porch” waiting, looking, concerned – ready for a glimpse of us to turn the corner and head towards home.  

There’s a vivid image in my memory of God running at me, diving for my neck, and holding me in the most tender, forgiving hug ever imagined.  He didn’t need an explanation.  It was enough that I had come home.  The tears in my eyes as I write remind me that its hard to forget what He's done for me and how much He loves me.

Here’s why we are obligated to get this right as we look at others – because He has done it for us, time after time.  Even though we hurt Him, rejected Him, thought we knew better, disgraced His name – need me to go on?

As you reflect on your story, you really have no choice but to react exactly like God did when you realized you were at rock bottom, living with the pigs, and you simply wanted to come home. 

We didn’t earn or deserve a 2^nd chance.  What we deserved was to be treated like we treated Him.  Instead, He threw us a party.

2^nd chances are my whole story.  What about you?