Grace

“If there are dreams about a beautiful South Africa, there are also roads that lead to their goal. Two of these roads could be named Goodness and Forgiveness.” (Nelson Mandela)

“Gone is the distinction between Jew and Greek, slave and free man, male and female—you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:2)

 

The world has recently lost a great man whose moral and political leadership enabled his country to enjoy peaceful transition from apartheid to one that pursues forgiveness and reconciliations. Many were in fact fearful when he came to power as in his early years he had a rebellious streak, and was branded as terrorist. Nelson Mandela shown otherwise by exemplified such values himself, which in turn sowed these seeds amongst his people.

 

I read that during one of the ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commission’ hearings after Mandela became its president, a policeman gave an account how he and his colleagues shot a teenage boy and burned the body to destroy the evidence. Years later he returned to the same house and bound the boy’s father and burned him before his wife. The judge asked what the woman wanted from this policeman. She answered, “He took all my family away from me, and I still have a lot of love to give. Twice a month, I would like him to come and spend a day with me so I can be a mother to Him. And I would like him to know that he is forgiven by God, and that I forgive him too. I would like to embrace him so he can know my forgiveness is real.” The policeman was so overwhelmed that he fainted there and then.

 

Such is the amazing grace that transcends any human understanding. Grace is God's unmerited favour, kindness from God we don't deserve. We are merely used by Him to dispense His grace.