“Just think what our country and world would be like if everyone chose love and not power.”
    This is the title of a recent book by Tony Campola with the subline, “How to Right the Worlds Wrong from a Place of Weakness.” How often we Christians have said, “If we just had the power,” failing to realize it’s in God’s love and grace. 
    It’s been said Christian love is:
    • Silence when your words would hurt,
    • Patience when your neighbor’s curt,
    • Deafness when the scandal flows,
    • Thoughtfulness for another’s woes,
    • Promptness when a stern duty calls,
    • Courage when misfortune falls. (The Speaker’s Quote Book)
    This week’s perception rouses Christians to the fact that because of the uniqueness of God’s grace, we can love unconditionally.
    In “What’s So Amazing about Grace?” Philip Yancey recounts this story about C. S. Lewis:
    “During a British conference on comparative religions, experts from around the world debated what, if any, belief was unique to the Christian faith.
    “They began eliminating possibilities. Incarnation? Other religions had different versions of gods appearing in human form. Resurrection? Again, other religions had accounts of return from death.
    “The debate went on for some time until C. S. Lewis wandered into the room. ‘What’s the rumpus about?’ he asked and heard in reply that his colleagues were discussing Christianity’s unique contribution among world religions. Lewis responded, ‘Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace.’ After some discussion, the conferees had to agree.”
    The notion of God’s love coming to us free of charge, no strings attached, seems to go against every instinct of humanity. The Buddhist eight-fold path, the Hindu doctrine of Karma, the Jewish covenant and Muslim code of law – each of these offers a way to earn approval. Only Christianity dares to make God’s love unconditional.
    Remember, God’s love doesn’t come from a place of weakness of grace.
    Citation: Philip Yancey, What’s So Amazing about Grace? (Zondervan, 1997), The Perfect Illustration for Every Topic and Occasion, 2002