But For the Grace

Things that people did,
Back when I was a kid...

"But that was thirty years ago!" they say.
Yes, it was. And I was ten.
And what I learned was sometimes sin.

Thirty years ago or more,
But yesterday to me,
Because it molded me to always be
Someone perhaps exactly like he,
But for the grace of One greater.

Lack of character, someone once displayed,
Back when my character was being made...

"But that was in the past, so how
Did it affect you so much now?"
I did not say that it always did.
I only said that it always could.
But for the grace of One greater.

They weren't as aged then as I am now,
And doubtless none the wiser.
I wonder if struggling in their same shoes,
I'd be the same occasional compromiser?

Things that people said,
Back when every word possessed my head...

"I didn't mean it that way." I know.
Not for a fight do I bring it to light.
But for lessons learned to keep my OWN self right.
For I could pass to my own the exact same plight,
But for the grace of One greater.

They didn't have then what I have now,
And surely weren't as grounded.
But I wonder if, looking through their eyes,
My own faith would be confounded?

Wondrous love the same people showed
Despite my flaws or theirs...

Yes forty years and more, till now.
Shining through any pain or sorrow.
Bursting beyond all scars, wounds or wrongs.
Enough to always last through another tomorrow.
Only through the grace of One greater.

Lessons the same people taught
From experience or Holy Writ...

"That was my intent." Amen!
A valiant job was done.
The Lord made up any lack.
The teacher wasn't the only one.
There was always the grace of One greater.

They have now what I want then,
A wisdom so compelling.
Are such rights and wrongs and wounds required
For such wisdom's great excelling?

Perhaps. Or just the grace of One greater.

Lord Jesus, help me to love as I have been loved, and to learn from the mistakes of others who have always loved me as well as they could. Help me to treat with understanding grace those whose errors I am in constant danger of repeating in my own right. Move me to always hold in reverential fondness those same ones, whose many victorious triumphs I am still trying to attain to. Help me to realize that only through Your grace can they or I overcome who we are (or were) and rather be who You want us to be. Help me to view all in that light, always seeing the glorious potential in Christ of those I love. Help me to remember the past not as the prison or pattern of my future, but as lessons to be learned, dissected, gleaned from and passed on, always without dishonor to any. Teach me to put these lessons into practice; and then may Your grace cover over the mistakes and make up the deficiencies of my imperfect application of them, as it always has before. Help me to remember my frailty and weakness as a signpost by which to embrace the humanity of others and to focus on the Lordship and perfections of Christ, looking unto Him as the Author and Finisher of my faith and the faith of those I love.  In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Victor E. Mowery
September 4, 2014