The Posture of Reconciliation: Thoughts on Sunday School

Painting by Tamara Paetkau

We know Esau was the bad one. But he did one thing right in running out to meet his brother.

The Prodigal's father ran out to meet him. He didn't wait to hear what the terms were. He didn't wait to hear his son apologize.

Joseph didn't just give his brothers the food they needed, though he easily could have refused it, and justly so. He didn't wait for an apology.

He didn't just say, "it's me, look at me now," or say, "it's cool, see you later, good luck with that grain issue."

He actively, persistently pursued reconciliation between his brothers and himself. He didn't worry about whether they ever wanted to see him again or what their spiritual state was, or whether they had repented. He longed for their fellowship again.

I heard about a church who lost a member to adultery. She wanted to to live with her boyfriend and knew she had to leave the church to do so. The church laid down the discipline. She was not a member in good standing.

But the elders of the church visited her regularly; they stood at her door and knocked. They called her, they reminded her that they loved her; they begged her to come back, not just to their church, but to come back to Christ.

And one day, she came back. No one stood in corners and whispered. No one hesitated. They ran out to meet her. They shouted out praises to Heaven. They loved her. They welcomed her back.

Behold, Christ stands at the door and knocks.

Almost ten years ago I wrote a letter to my parents. I said I was sorry for everything. I was living 700 miles away at the time. They got in the car that night and drove to where I was. They ran out to greet me. I was Home.