We have trouble accepting true gifts.
Gifts for a special occasion or need, sure, but unprovoked, gifts are more likely to elicit suspicion than gratitude. We almost can’t accept a gift without feeling at least somewhat entitled to it.
Furthermore, we much prefer to exude personal effort and ‘earn’ whatever it is (insomuch as anyone can truly earn anything). For in doing so we feel all the more entitled to whatever comes. And I suppose there is some validity as we naturally understand that input affects output.
However, we misapply the notion of input/output across a spate of items we can never ‘earn.’ Chief amongst them being forgiveness and salvation. For by definition they involve the actions of others. They are ultimately a gift we can never manufacture in isolation.
“Moses wrote that anyone who insists on using the law codes to live right before God soon discovers it’s not so easy-every detail of life regulated by fine print! But trusting God to shape the right living in us is a different story-no precarious climb up to heaven to reach the Messiah, no dangerous descent into hell to rescue the Messiah.”
Paul writes about the impossibility of perfectly following every stipulation and rightly points out that the only viable solution is accepting this undeserved gift.
However, we often refuse to accept it. We instead ‘need’ to say our piece or have some time to attempt to atone (or at least close the gap) on our own first. We tell ourselves we are just doing our part, but in reality it is our pride that has derailed us. For we want at least partial credit and have difficulty occupying a place of submission. We struggle to accept our helpless state.
The question we are left with regarding forgiveness and salvation is not how, but when. When will we abandon our fruitless effort to achieve them on our own and finally accept the gift that has been waiting from the beginning. Perhaps it is time to release our pride and finally step forward into peace.