Bo and Billy

After a Monday in Romans 7, I needed this video so that I could be reminded of Romans 8.

The Bible is full of stories about grace. Dozens of people in the Old and New Testaments were able to experience new life because of God's grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Bible stories are great but I need more.

The Bible is God's way of speaking to us but, sometimes, I need to touch grace. I need to see it sitting across from me. I need to talk with someone who has been changed by grace so that I can see the Grace Giver at work. The Bible is just part of the story. We continue to grow and learn because of God's work all around us and I think that was His desire.

Like the story of Bo in the video, Billy is a young man who has experienced the pain of addiction and still deals with the wreckage he's created. Over the course of many years, Billy has proven that he is a liar, a cheat, and a thief. Today, he is in a "rebuilding" phase with the help of Teen Challenge. He shared his story with me and a few friends last month. His uncle was in the room - a man Billy victimized for years. Although disappointed and a little confused, his uncle treats him with grace and mercy. It's the contemporary story of Jesus and Peter after the denial. It's a story I need to hear and see over and over again.

Is Billy completely transformed? No. But he is being transformed in God's grace and gives me hope that I, too, can be transformed. Do we need to fall into the depths of addiction to experience renewal? No. But all of us are ripe for renewal no matter where we are on the spiritual journey. Like the blind man who inspired "Amazing Grace", we can be touched by Jesus and show others how His touch can change lives.