JUSTICE FOR YOU, GRACE FOR ME

Twice today I had the right-of-way out on the road, only to have the other driver go ahead, cut me off, and go speeding off down the road. Twice!

It's not like I laid on the horn in anger or expressed my frustration with interesting hand gestures or anything like that. But I did kind of hope that a cop would be waiting to catch each one of them speeding. Ah, what a little slice of Vindication Pie that would be...

But a few months ago when I got pulled over for speeding, I wanted grace more than anything. And I didn't get it. Unless the word "grace" also means "A big fat traffic violation fine."

What is it in me--maybe in you, too--that wants justice for others but grace for myself? The thing is, I'm not usually like some Pharisee who looks with disdain on the broken or loves to see the guilty squirm. For all my faults, God has allowed me to see others with mercy. But rather than hoping that a couple of selfish drivers get their due while I skate by unpunished, why not pray for the justice and grace of God to prevail as He sees best? Sometimes that means justice for you and grace for me. And sometimes it's the other way around.

LORD, Your way is perfect. Work on my heart so that rather than wanting consequence for others and grace for myself, I'll love Your flawless justice and Your lavish grace, always administered according to Your perfect purposes. You have been so loving to discipline me when it's been necessary, but You have also shown me grace I couldn't even begin to deserve.

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved through faith--and this is not of yourselves, it is a gift of God--not by works, so that no man can boast.
Ephesians 2:6-9