My initial reaction honestly was a little bit unsettling. That was mainly due to the fact that literally almost everywhere I turn I'm seeing "keep sex offenders off this," and "keep sex offenders off that"... and I realized, if this keeps up I wonder what place they'll have left to go. I believe we'd secretly like to keep "these people" on an island somewhere... exiled.
Now of course I'm all about protecting children. I have very close friends that have been violated when they were children and I have a nephew that I absolutely adore and that I would be devastated if anything like that happened to him.
But...where do we draw the line as a society? I wrestle with this question every time I come across something like this.
One thing that comes to mind is a declaration that Jesus makes in the book of Matthew-usually called the Sermon on the Mount. The first thing he declares is "blessed are the 'poor in spirit' for theirs is the kingdom of God." I've read this so many times but I've always assumed it was for the humble...for the meak...for the...well, for "good" people...
but are those really the poor in spirit?? the poor in Greek is pto-khos meaning begger, someone who lacks severely-- not economically, but in quality of their character--in spirit.
And just who are those people? these people "poor in spirit." I know for a fact I was one of those. I definitely lacked quality in my character. Not only because of dumb decisions I made in life but because of the sinful nature that we're all born into. As David Crowder sings, "I am stained with dirt prone to depravity..."
BUT... I was considered "blessed" because that's who God relentlessly pursues with love and grace and mercy...the poor in spirit--the beggars--the idolaters, the thieves, the fornicators, the murderers, and liars.
Essentially, if you're the person that says "I am a good person," then basically this declaration stated by Jesus is not for you.
I don't think anyone would argue that sex offenders don't have a serious lack of quality of character. And I wouldn't argue that some people never change, but I would argue that some do. And for us to treat that unknown percentage of people who did their time and want a new life, (a new chance), to treat them like lepers--
like social scum--will never see a change in our society.
If the idea of God's grace being available to people like Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Charles Manson, or even the ex-sex offender guy who lives next to you frustrates you or even disgusts you... here's something to chew on, "...but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong..." -1 Corinthians 1:27
Welcome to offensive grace.
for further reading and study read:
-Matthew 20:1-16
- or visit a blog entry entitled "Amazing Grace"
-read this story...hopefully it'll make yr stomach turn like it did mine.
