broken people – Grits with Grace

fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, life, loving others, Military memories, prayer, Southern born, spiritual battles, Trials

Speak No Evil

Posted on October 11, 2024September 24, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” John 8:10-11

It’s gonna happen…it just should not happen there. Life is filled with bumps and bruises. They’re gonna happen like it or not but sometimes they are made worse by the timing and location. A flat tire is never fun but take that same flat tire and let it happen on a rainy Monday on the way to an interview for a new job and it is just worse. Your car breaking down is just a bad deal but when it happens out in the middle of nowhere and with no cellphone service…well, your day just went south.

I once experienced something that well, it just shouldn’t have happened but where it happened and how it happened just made it worse. It was a Sunday morning in South Georgia and like any other Sunday morning I was in church. I went to church for several reasons…like it was the right thing to do, I thought it might make God happy and usually I enjoyed it. On this particular day…well, let’s just say I had that proverbial flat tire on a rainy Monday out in the middle of nowhere. The story goes like this.

Ever since I was a kid I liked to sing, and people said they enjoyed it. So, I was occasionally asked to sing at church. On this particular Sunday morning I was asked to sing. Now there is something you need to know before we go any further. You see, the church I attended was strict with certain things and one of those things was that guys should not have hair over their ears. That was a big no, no. And believe it or not, even though I was in the Air Force I had found a way to have hair over my ears. It involved “Dippity-do” but that’s another story.

Well, that Sunday was my time to sing. I went to the stage and did the very best I could to sing for Jesus. With my “hair over my ears” waving in the wind I went up and I came down. I was glad to sing but was also glad it was over. Well, it wasn’t. Because that Sunday we had a special speaker. And because of what happened, I remember him very, very, well. He stepped behind the pulpit, and I got the surprise of my young life. I was surprised because what he said was like a dagger in my heart. Here’s what he said.

With his deep and authoritative voice, in front of the entire church, he said, “Young man, if I had hair like yours, I would be ashamed to stand up and sing for Jesus.” I was shocked. I was hurt. I was mortally embarrassed. Not because of my hair, not because I had caused Jesus to frown (which I didn’t) but because this man who represented God had put me on trial, judged me, and sentenced me. Honestly, it’s a miracle I didn’t walk out and keep right on walking.

Like I said, things like this happen but they should never, ever happen in church. We wonder why people don’t want to come to church and unfortunately too often it is things like this. You see, church should be a safe place…a loving place. Church should be a place not for perfect people (because there aren’t any) but for forgiven people. Church should be a grace place and not a place to judge and throw rocks. Church should be a place where people see Jesus everywhere…in the lives of everyone.

I love the fact that the people who flocked to Jesus were the most broken in the community. They liked Him and He loved them. He was perfectly comfortable with sitting down with the worse sinner in town and having lunch. Trust me, that drove the religious people crazy. They said some very nasty things about Jesus because of that but the truth is…Jesus came to rescue the lost, the broken…people like me and you.

Well, the good news is I survived that Sunday morning, but it left a scar that remains to this day. My wife reminded me that my pastor came up afterwards and apologized. I’m glad he did. We need to have the courage to speak up when a wrong occurs…Jesus would. I can never get enough of the story in the Bible about the woman taken in adultery. The rock throwers wanted to kill her but instead Jesus loved and forgave her. I like that. A lot. So, if you find yourself wounded by a rock chucker just remember Jesus loves you…even if someone else doesn’t. And remember, no matter what, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, prayer, Scripture, thankful, Trials

Humpty Dumpty and Me

Posted on April 15, 2024April 14, 2024 by Dewayne Taylor

“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life and no one comes to the Father but by Me.” John 14:6

Some things never change. As we were growing up, we all learned various nursery rhymes and fairy tales. Some were funny, some serious, and some a little bizarre. One of my favorites was Humpty Dumpty. Why? I think because his story could have easily been our story—after all, we’ve all fallen off a wall at one time or another. I love the story too because what didn’t happen for old Humpty Dumpty, can happen for us.

If there had been a headline that day it might have read something like this, “Local Egg Takes a Tumble.” The story would begin with, “Apparently a well-known and respected egg, Humpty Dumpty, decided to take a rest on top of a wall just outside of town. While sitting there he lost his balance, fell off the wall and was shattered into several pieces. Fortunately for Mr. Dumpty there were witnesses who immediately called 911. Paramedics, along with representatives from the local government, were quickly on the scene. It is reported that local clergy were also on scene, though they didn’t stay long. Unfortunately, no one was unable to put Mr. Dumpty back together again.”

What a sad tale! There he lay–his life in pieces–kinda like a lot of folks today. You would have thought the local citizenry, government, and churches would have been sympathetic but no. First, some questioned why an egg was on the wall in the first place. After all, given his rounded bottom he was certainly a high risk. Second, he was in a fragile state–in fact, he lived in a fragile state. Others blamed the builders of the wall. If the wall had only been six inches high, he wouldn’t have suffered such massive fractures. Others blamed the weather service because they didn’t put out a high wind warning that day for eggs on walls. And the church–well, they said a respectable egg should have been in church, for it was a Sunday.

Well on and on it went, and in the end–Mr. Dumpty was still broken. You know, some things never change. When sin entered the world Adam blamed God, (God, because He gave Adam the woman & Eve because she gave him the fruit), Eve blamed the snake, and the snake? Well, he just smiled. It wasn’t a time for finger pointing then, nor is it now. For all around us are Humpty Dumpty’s…broken lives in a broken world.

But then, along comes God. God made the very first promise of a Rescuer, a Redeemer, and a Savior way back in Genesis 3. One day the Redeemer would come and provide the cure for sin–His own death on a Roman cross–and then come back to life thus defeating death forever. And the snake, well, he would be cast into a very hot fire for a very long time.

You see, I am so glad that God is more interested in redemption than blaming. He is still inviting people, all people, to come home. Scared people, sick people, broken people, mean people, and nice people–all get the same invitation–come home. And the path is always the same. Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life and no one comes to the Father but by Me.” It’s not religion, it’s not good works, and it’s not winning by out-blaming the person next to you. It is grace.

The world could use a little good news don’t you think? So today why not share some? When you see the next scared person, the next broken person, the next difficult person (and it might be in the mirror), just assure them that God loves them and that regardless of their past they can come home. Tell them to rest in Him. Why? Because He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, Trials

Help, I’ve Fallen

Posted on July 5, 2023June 29, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” Psalm 37:23

It is a call I get all too often. I have the privilege of serving as a pastor. That privilege includes being there when people are walking through a crisis. One thing about the pastorate is when I wake up each morning, whether I go to the office or not, I never know what the day will hold. It is not at all uncommon for someone to call me. Sometimes it is good news…the baby came…I got the job…we bought a house. Sometimes, and frankly too often, it is difficult news. It could be a child going down a difficult path, a job lost, a marriage violated or difficult news of an accident or health crisis.

Some of the most common health crises is when a senior adult takes a fall. Life is ordinary and then suddenly, a loss of balance or a toe caught on a rug, results in a hard fall and we all know older bones can be very unforgiving. I can’t tell you how many calls I have received about broken bones and broken bodies. One of the most difficult situations is when the person fell and can’t get to a phone to call for help. We have had several situations when someone would fall and have to lay in the floor for hours….long hours.

In one instance, a friend fell in her driveway, and no one found her till the next morning. She was an amazingly resilient lady and after surgery recovered well, but that is not always the case. One of the newer devices I really appreciate is a “call button” that a person wears and if they have an emergency, they can press a button and help is soon on the way. I see the commercials on tv, and they show a woman in the kitchen in pain. She presses the button and says, “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” Another scene shows a man down in the park and he presses the button and says, “Help! I’ve fallen in the park, and I can’t get up.” The last one is someone down in the shower and they too can’t get up and are calling for help.

It is times like these that those simple rescue devices are so valuable. There is no telling how many lives have been saved. Of course, for them to work you must have one and you must wear one. And if you do…help is on the way. It can’t reverse the circumstances, but it can change the outcome. “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” It is true when we fall physically but the truth is we can fall in other ways…emotionally and spiritually just to name a couple…and we find we can’t get up. And I want you to know that there is something better than a button to press…there is a God to call on.

I’ve long said that God often gets a bad rap. Too often preachers and teachers present Him as a lightening tossing, fire breathing God who can’t wait to send down a little fire and brimstone on creation. Well, God is holy, and God is just, but first and foremost He is a God of rescue and redemption. He is a God of love. The New Testament writer even tells us that He wants no one to perish but everyone to be rescued. Now, that’s love. Maybe you think you are beyond rescue…you’ve fallen too far. No so. His grace is deep, and it is wide.

One of my favorite Bible verses is Psalm 37:24. It says that even if I fall, I will not be utterly cast down. In other words…no matter how hard or how far I fall, I don’t have to stay down. The reason? It simply says that God will pick me up with His strong hand. Either He will pick me up or grab me on the way down but either way it is not a knockout punch…His grace is sufficient. If you are feeling down for the count, maybe it’s time to cry out, “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” You will find His strong hand right there to help you up. He is just waiting for you to ask. I like that. Can He pull it off? Without a doubt…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Scripture, thankful, Trials

Scars are Stories

Posted on August 26, 2022August 24, 2022 by Dewayne Taylor

When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” John 8:10-11

It’s a great setup. I’ve written several times about my early morning routine. It involves coffee, the weather report and Jesus. I am a creature of habit and mess with my habits, and it messes me up. But sometimes I do something a little different that just works better. When I fell a couple of months ago and messed up my hand, my wife Judy donated a little lap desk to help me study and write. Well, she never took it back, so it became…mine. I also found out that this little desk made a great addition to my routine as it is a great place to put my iPad and my coffee cup. Boom. Things just got better.

Well, the other morning I was sipping coffee and using my iPad to read a couple of devotions. The guy I was reading wrote about scars and as I was reading…I was looking. You see, my hands have several scars and each one is a story. On my right thumb is one that reminds me of the ten year old (or so) who was cutting watermelon and ignored his Daddy’s advice about how to use a knife. On my middle finger of my right hand, right on the knuckle, is an inch long scar caused by my careless use of an X-Acto knife I was using to build a model car or plane.

Let’s look at my left hand. On my index finger are two scars…close together. One was caused when I was riding with my sister and her then boyfriend in his car. The car in front of us stopped…and he didn’t. This was before seatbelts and when I headed for the windshield, I threw my hand up to protect my head. I guess it worked but I did cut my hand up in the process. I guess hand is better than head. The other scar was a woodcutting thing. I didn’t cut it with the saw or you might be calling me “Three Fingers.” No, a piece of wood that was in a bind slipped and whacked my hand leaving a nasty gash.

There are a couple of smaller scars on both hands but their birth didn’t garner a memory. I do have a couple of scars in other places, like the one by my eye which happened on a racquetball court. A guy hit me with his racket on that one. But by and large most of my physical scars are on my hands because that is where all the action is. In other words, whatever you put out there in life will probably get scarred…like our hearts. All of us probably have some scars left when we put our heart out there and someone wounded us. It’s just life.

But now for the bigger story. Remember that scars may be a sign of a painful wound…but they are also a sign of healing. The scars that are on my hands were bleeding and painful when they happened but gradually they healed over and the bleeding stopped and they healed over. That’s a good thing. Now you know and I know that wounds on our heart are a whole different animal. They may heal but it often takes more than some antibiotic cream and a Band-Aid. They say that time heals all wounds and that might be partially true. Time does help but time can’t always heal. The good news is there is something…Someone…who can heal and His name is Jesus.

My friend Jesus is a healer of hearts. When He walked the earth, He amazed the people in many ways…twice He gave everyone a free lunch. But countless times He would take the broken, the castaways and lovingly put their lives back together. I love the story when a woman was caught in adultery. The religious people wanted to stone her but Jesus chose to love her. I suppose in my life, and in yours, there have been some stoning opportunities but here is one thing I know. Jesus isn’t a rock chucker—He is a heart healer and He wants to help heal yours today.

So, how about it? Do you have some wounds on your heart that time just hasn’t taken care of? Are you still hurting from a train wreck in life years ago? Why not give Jesus the opportunity to help? “How” you ask? Well, why not try asking? It is called prayer and trust me it is worth a shot. The other key element is faith—believing that He is there listening. Don’t be surprised if the first thing you hear is Him asking you to forgive because forgiving others always helps heal our own wounds. So, when you are done reading, why not start praying. He is waiting and He is willing. He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, fear, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, Trials, wisdom

Humpty Dumpty and Me

Posted on April 28, 2021April 27, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life and no one comes to the Father but by Me.” John 14:6

Well on and on it went, and in the end–Mr. Dumpty was still broken. You know, some things never change. When sin entered the world Adam blamed God, (God because He gave Adam the woman & Eve because she gave him the fruit), Eve blamed the snake, and the snake? Well, he just smiled. It wasn’t a time for finger pointing then, nor is it now. For all around us are Humpty Dumptys…broken lives in a broken world.

But then, along comes God. God made the very first promise of a Rescuer, a Redeemer, and a Savior way back in Genesis 3. One day the Redeemer would come and provide the cure for sin–His own death on a Roman cross–and then come back to life thus defeating death forever. And the snake well, he would be cast into a very hot fire for a very long time.

You see, I am so glad that God is more interested in redemption than blaming. He is still inviting people, all people to come home. Scared people, sick people, broken people, mean people, and nice people–all get the same invitation–come home. And the path is always the same. Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life and no one comes to the Father but by Me.” It’s not religion, it’s not good works, and it’s not winning by out-blaming the person next to you. It is grace.

Family, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, priorities, Scripture, thankful, travel, Trials, wisdom

Tripped Up by Life

Posted on April 20, 2021April 19, 2021 by Dewayne Taylor

When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9:36

Well, it’s a week later. If you are a regular Grits reader you might remember that a week ago, I wrote about my grand adventure as I hiked a local trail called, “Indian Point.” It is an incredible trail and a hike that I will remember for quite a while. Whenever I do something for the first time it kinda hangs in my memory. For instance, this time I remember the first quarter or third of a mile up the hill that the trail was more roots than dirt. I remember after a while there were several short trails leading to some large rock outcrops. I took a detour down one and stood amazed as I surveyed the valley below. I also remember what happened next.

Next was my boot caught a root. In a split second I tripped and landed flat on my face. I told you last week that I fell very hard and it hurt. I haven’t changed my mind. I banged up my left arm and side and well, let’s just say all week the pain just kept right on coming. Finally, on Saturday, almost a week later, I could cough and bend over without my side not so gently reminding me of the fall. My arm, on the other hand, is still plenty sore and I am sporting a really, ugly bruise. It isn’t one of those wimp bruises either. It covers most of my elbow and upper forearm and is a nice purple and yellow color. It’s the kinda bruise when people see it, they say “ouch.”

This past Sunday I returned to Indian Point. My wife Judy was back from her journey to the “Southland” and I wanted to share the trail with her. I narrated the way along the trail and finally we came to the place where I fell. Right in the middle of the trail was the root…the only one, but then it only takes one. I told her, “This is where it happened.” I think maybe she then had a better understanding of my fall and a new appreciation for the bruise that I am still sporting. Perhaps, that experience made my experience better because it became her experience too. I know this is true because right there she gave me a sermon about hiking alone and being careful.

So, do you know someone that is pretty bruised up over life? Has someone shown you their “bruise” recently? No, I’m not talking about the kind that comes from tripping over a root, but the kind that comes from tripping over something in life. An unkind word. An unnecessarily sharp criticism. A sarcastic zinger. The loss of a friend or a job or a marriage? You see, there are a lot of bruised folks around us, and it is important that we stop long enough to feel their hurt and pain. Jesus did that so well. It didn’t matter what, it seemed He always had the time to hurt with someone.

Whether it was a leper, a woman with a bad reputation, or a tax collector hated and disowned by everyone, He always took the time to stop, take a look at their bruised life, and hurt with them. One time He came ashore from a boat ride across the lake and there was a gaggle of people bruised and banged up by their broken world. The Bible tells us that He saw them and then He had compassion on them. He.Saw.Them. In other words, He saw their bruises and then loved them.

So, if you bump into me this week, no pun intended, ask and I will show you my bruised arm. It should be good for at least five or six more days. We can laugh together because of the story, but at the same time it will be a good reminder for both of us to be like Jesus and share another’s hurt and pain. Oh, and be sure and watch out for those roots…remember it only takes one. But if you do fall, I know someone who can pick you up. And if you listen carefully, you will hear Him whisper, “Don’t worry…I’ve got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Christmas, Family, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, Holidays, life, loving others, Scripture, Southern born, thankful

Miss Scarlet

Posted on December 14, 2020December 13, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

I had to do a double take. When Faith, my oldest granddaughter, was only three, she started a Christmas family tradition, and it all began with her playing with our nativity set. First, the family nativity set was purchased way back when we had two daughters when they were three and four years old. Each year we would go to the attic and bring down the Christmas decorations. And there, in its original box, now tattered by the years, sat the nativity set. We bought it from Sears and Roebuck for about thirty dollars and trust me back then, that was a lot of money. Through the years the angel lost his or her wings several times and more than one head was knocked off. Always, a little glue fixed the injury…at least more or less.

As the years passed and the injured players grew in number, let’s say we were just a little less careful with the old nativity set. When Faith came along it was just natural that she wanted to play with the nativity set and that was fine. Now for part two. Being from the South and loving history, somewhere, somehow, we ended up with an ornament of Scarlet O’Hara from the movie “Gone with the Wind.” She was dressed in a curvy, clingy red dress that probably went a little too far south in the front. Well, each year she ended up on the Christmas tree. And then it happened.

That year, probably around 2003 or 2004, Faith was playing with the nativity set and somehow or another she spied Miss Scarlet on the tree. She simply saw it as another member of the cast. So, she took Scarlet off the tree and as she played, she included her in the cast of characters. When she was done, she just let Miss Scarlet stay in their midst. There was Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the Three Wise Men, the Innkeeper (I’m not sure why he was invited), and a shepherd boy, along with several barnyard friends and standing right in the middle was Scarlet.

Well, sometime later I was walking by and happened to glance at the nativity set. I went down the checklist to make sure everyone was there and then I spotted her. There was Miss Scarlet curvy, clingy dress and all. My first thought was, “What in the world is Miss Scarlet doing in Bethlehem? What is a girl like her doing with Jesus?” I was just about to remove her when it occurred to me. I realized that if anyone was supposed to be there it was Miss Scarlet. I realized that she was the whole point of the story. Jesus came for people who had messed up in life. People who had made mistakes, people like her, like me and like you. That is why Jesus came in the first place. He knew that the religious elite wouldn’t give Him the time of day. But the ordinary, broken people…well, they got it.

So, Miss Scarlet stayed and for the past 16 or 17 years, I still go to the attic and get the decorations down. I still find the old, tattered box and bring it down too. I carefully unpack the cast of that night in Bethlehem and there among the characters is Miss Scarlet. Each year, I make sure she was a prominent spot in the nativity and each year that reminds me that she is what Christmas is all about.

You see, the Bible tells us that God loved the world so much that He gave His Son, His only Son to be born into a broken world. He did it because He loved us so much and amazingly, He said if we would believe in Him, put our trust in Him, we could call Him Father, our Dearest Daddy. He also promised that every Christmas for forever we could be with Him. Amazing.

I am so grateful that Faith taught me an important lesson that Christmas season so many years ago. It is one of my favorite stories and one of my favorite Christmas traditions. And each year, Miss Scarlet reminds me that broken people are always welcomed home for Christmas into God’s loving arms. He doesn’t care if we are dark or light skinned, rich or poor, or part of the social elite or socially broken. He just loves us and that is amazing.

So, this Christmas season, if you have a nativity set or even if you don’t, remember the story about how Miss Scarlet got invited into the story and that you are, too. Especially this Christmas when things are so crazy, why not find yourself right there in the cast of characters, resting right next to Baby Jesus. Mary and Joseph and Miss Scarlet would remind you that one thing is sure…He’s got this.