Have you earned a place with God?

It sometimes seems crazy or maybe hypocritical that we have received grace from God that we have neither earned nor deserve and are so often easily willing to cut other people off from our worship fellowship because we say they have not earned or do not deserve a place among us.

In all societies there are "those people" who are treated with suspicion or even disdain and kept from full participation. We may assume or merely assert that this is the will of God for various reasons, but is it really the will of God to exclude or is it the social will of human beings.

The lectionary scriptures provide us with some interesting views of God regarding inclusivity. The words of restoration in Isaiah promise inclusion for anyone from anywhere who believes in God. The Matthew text portrays a conversation between Jesus and a gentile Canaanite woman who argues a case for grace being extended beyond the chosen people of Israel. Jesus agrees with her. In Romans, Paul defends Jews as remaining God's chosen even though Christians may reject them for not accepting Jesus.

What do you think?

The lectionary scriptures this week are: Psalm 67; Isaiah 56:1,6-8; Matthew 15:21-28; Romans 11:1-2,29-32.