I awoke to find that my I-Phone’s battery had dropped too low to support its ‘hot spot’ function. There is a definite feel while you wait on your battery to charge. A sense of prioritizing that often eludes my day. I am struck at how uncoupled my goals become. How immediately what I love rises to the top of the pile. I guess I can safely say, when your battery needs recharging, it is easy to see what is really important. What is really necessary.

I was recently told that a Physician that had attended my case at the local hospital had been arrested five days later on charges of child pornography. I had only one question, “had he hurt any children?” There was no known physical abuse between the man and children. Thank goodness! It is difficult for me to pray for someone who even mistreats a child.

I did not have to face the challenge of seeing him as a non-human, I did not wrestle against the urge to end his life. And I wondered why? Why I did not lose sight of his humanity, and why I could pray for him? I think it is as simple as not being connected to popular opinion. Being unwilling to simmer in the cesspool of social thinking. I am constantly challenged to avoid group mentality. To avoid finding solace in believing and feeling as popular sentiment insist that I do.

I am no longer an avid consumer of news, local or otherwise. Not since the election in 2016 have I unconsciously committed my sentiments to information fed to me. By doing so, information is just that, information. How I feel about it, is not something the news media gets to decide for me.

So, whether it is a Black life taken, another woman declaring herself a sexual victim. Promises that the sitting President will bankrupt the medical treatment of Americans. Or build a wall at the expense of the Nation. Or whether that President is racist and Democrats are not. I ultimately remember all souls belong to GOD. That is a truth that remains firmly concluded. People belong to GOD. Even the child abuser.

That conclusion does not separate me from my acknowledgment of GOD. I fully understand ‘free will’. I own the ramifications that arise when I exercise that option for myself, you should do so for yourself as well. We are all dirt scratchers, we all need grace.

Sometimes people cause me to feel like I should avoid them. A putrid, nasty rag, to be held far from my person. Clenched between two fingertips. There are some things we find unforgivable. Some people we want destroyed.

But that rag when cleaned, scented, and pressed, with detergents, fabric softeners, and a hot iron; can reclaim its original purpose. The beauty that it possesses again evident in the fine linen quality and intricate designs its Designer had created. While the law is for the lawbreaker. The sentiment of grace is a GOD inspired state of thinking and feeling. When you emotionally step aside, it is possible to love others even when they seem unlovable.

We seem to understand that sentiment when we want to do what we want to do. Don’t judge me we screech. Even the Bible says don’t judge! First of all, no it does not! Read Matthew 7 again. It says don’t judge unless you are prepared to be judged by the same measure. We are living proof that happens all the time. We reserve certain condemnation for certain actions, crimes, and sins. Then we wonder why things happen as they do in our lives. Grace does not abide because we reserve judgment on the sins we enjoy. Grace is GOD’s domain, and we can only get as good as we are willing to give.

How revolutionary would the environment of the Earth become if we really treated one another with the grace we wanted for ourselves. Yes, he is a child pornographer, but what would I like people to conclude if I found myself in that dreadful and disgraceful position. I would hope that people would remember that I am human as well. I would hope somebody would pray for me.

The sin that is unredeemable too GOD is the only one that does not require grace. And there is only one. Matthew 12:31-32.