Several years ago, I was traveling back from Camp Grafton and decided to visit the graves of my mom and dad, Bonnie and Gordon Mellum. I had not been able to get there for a while, and it just seemed the right thing to do.

I backed my pickup truck so that I could sit on the tailgate and spend a little time reflecting and praying. It was a beautiful August day with the sun shining, and the grain was rolling into the combines just to the south of the cemetery. So, I decided to take a quick picture before I left. Later, I was surprised to see what I had captured. I captured Mom and Dad’s gravestone, but I also caught my shadow. Holding the camera the way I did made it appear that I, a soldier, was saluting their graves. Hmmm.

Although it was an accidental salute, there is no question in my mind they deserved the tribute. Mom and Dad were good, dependable, intelligent people, rural folks who had learned to be good citizens of their earthly and heavenly kingdoms. They were far from perfect, and each made their share of mistakes. But, they saw the world through an uncommon social intelligence that is becoming increasingly rare. They understood life to be complicated and intricate and that sometimes in the dynamic milieu of social and interpersonal dynamics, not everyone is at their best, all of the time. 

As their children, we were not appointed to sainthood when at our best. But, we were not damned when we were at our worst. The world could learn a lot from mom and dad. Humans are complicated! We are a summation of the good and bad choices we make.

Martin Luther called our human condition, simul justus et peccator. It is Latin for simultaneously both sinners and saints. D.L. Moody said, “Within each of us there is a white and black dog fighting for domination.” My mother used to say, “He/she is just going through a rough season. But, they will figure it out.”

Today’s tendency to evaluate everyone in the binary categories of good vs. bad does not reflect the reality of human nature. I hope we are not in a world that will assess everyone based solely on their worst day. But, it seems the trend.

Let me conclude with a suggestion. Until they figure it out, the world that is, how about giving them a little grace. And season your grace with a bit of patience and understanding. The world is just going through a rough season right now, but it will figure it out.” Honor others by giving them the dignity of not evaluating them based on their worst day. That is just not right, and it is counter the word of God!

Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
Matthew 18:21-22

The military command to render a salute is “PRESENT ARMS.” So, Christians find somebody to honor today with grace, patience, understanding, and forgiveness. Christians! PRESENT ARMS!

Have Great Week!

Corey Bjertness
Senior Pastor

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