Monday, April 16

Second Chances

Narrative Lectionary Daily Devotions written by Kace Leetch from Clergy Stuff.

If anyone in Saul's day was an enigma, it was Saul. He was the most feared and hated persecutor of Christians they knew. But then Jesus got his hooks in him, and it was all over for Saul. Paul became one of the most influential evangelists ever to walk the earth. It just goes to show it's never to late to change.

A while ago I encountered a friend that had been trying get sober. It was a struggle, as it always is. On this one evening, they had relapsed, and they sat on my couch sobbing in remorse and utter defeat. I asked, "Just how many second chances do you think you get?" "Just one," they replied. "No," I countered, "Unlimited chances. As long as there's breath in your body, there's always another chance to get it right."

Sometimes we think we get only one try at life. We obsess over our mistakes and the things that cause us shame, hoping no one ever finds out, hoping we can do better, but doubting we can. But it's never too late to change. And it's never too late to let go of our fear of not being perfect. Guess what? You're not perfect. No one is. It's ok. Because you're you, and you're ok just the way you are. Keep doing the best you can. Give yourself some leeway. And take those second chances every single day.

Narrative Lectionary Text: Acts 9:19b-22

For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” All who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah.