As we have been speaking to different churches and groups about our upcoming ministry in the Dominican, a common (and legitimate) question usually surfaces from the crowd: so, what exactly are you going to be doing there?
Of course we won't know exactly what God has in store for us when we move there, but we do have the vision and calling He has given each of us: to demonstrate God's love to the Dominican people and help them create sustainable, self-sufficient solutions to the problems in their communities. But as I think about my plans more and more, I think of the main goals I want to accomplish while I'm there, and one of the main messages I want to share with these people is the message of God's unconditional grace. This has been a lesson I have had to learn throughout my life, even in the past few years, and it's a powerful lesson that I want to share. God's grace is the most beautiful thing we humans can experience, and it is the job of every Christian to try to share that grace with those who don't know what they're missing.
Every Friday at work, I get a Sausage McMuffin (bear with me, this relates I promise). A lady I work with buys a bunch of them and hands them out to some of the employees. The first time I received one she had asked me if I had helped set up the store for her, and upon confirmation she proudly handed me my first Sausage McMuffin. It was a glorious day, and I thought I had learned the system: help Bonnie set up the store, receive food. But the next week I didn't get the chance to help her, and she still handed me my very own McMuffin. Then I was confused; how could I thank her for this breakfast treat? Should I help her keep the store stocked throughout the day? Should I be extra nice to her, compliment her outfit, comment on her new haircut? But no, she didn't want anything in return. She just wanted to show me love because she cared about me. There was nothing I could do to deserve that Sausage McMuffin, but she still thought I was worth the effort of giving me one. God's grace is the same; we can't do anything to deserve it, and yet He delights in showing us His grace, because He cares about us.
Let's rewind a year or so. I made a mistake and hurt a dear friend in a way I never thought I could. It broke my heart, and I couldn't do anything to fix it. I did the only thing I was capable of doing: I asked him to forgive me. It was hard, but the thought of him remaining hurt was even harder to face. I'm not sure what I expected, but the answer I received truly surprised me-complete forgiveness, no strings attached, no lecture about how badly I screwed up, no list of penalties or things I had to do to make up for my mistake. He showed me complete grace even when he saw me at my worst. It's not that I didn't expect him to forgive me, because I knew his character enough to know that he would. But something deep inside of me still felt like I had to earn his forgiveness, that I wasn't worth his forgiveness unless I did something for him in return. But the thing about grace is, it really has nothing to do with who you are and what you do. It has everything to do with the character and actions of the person bestowing it. And that's why God's grace is so powerful: because it comes from such a good and powerful God.
Let's go back to the Sausage McMuffin for a bit. I never deserved it, but every Friday I began to expect it. I knew that every Friday I could walk into the store and Bonnie would faithfully hand me my breakfast with a smile. God's grace is the same: He is just waiting for us to come into His presence and receive the gift He has for us.
So what am I going to do in the DR? Well, the thing I am most looking forward to is the day when I can sit down with my Dominican friends, hand them a Sausage McMuffin (or the Dominican equivalent), and tell them about God's grace and how it can transform their lives, just like it did mine. And that when they enter into the presence of God, they can come expectant.
And leave forgiven.
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