For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. (Romans 11:32)
I bought a new T-shirt the other day. I really liked it in the store. I think they have the lights in dressing rooms of clothing stores set so that anything looks good on you. The shirt has wide horizontal red and white stripes, and when I got it home and wore it for a day this weekend, I couldn’t help but think every time I caught myself in the mirror that I had just managed to escape from prison.
In light of yesterday’s Catch, this could actually be useful. I’m thinking of putting it to use as an undershirt – something I would wear under a sweater or a flannel shirt to remind myself of my former imprisonment and how that puts me on an equal plane with everyone. As illustrated in yesterday’s story about a formerly incarcerated waitress with a job in a café operated by Homeboy Industries (“Nothing stops a bullet like a job”) who assumed the reason she recognized Diane Keaton was that they had been locked up together, we can assume the same thing in common with everyone we meet: We were locked up together. As you can tell, I’m not willing to let this concept go so quickly. Somehow, I’m not sure we’re all getting it.
This is a unifying factor. We have all been locked up in sin so that God might put a relationship with Himself on the same basis for us all – on the basis of His mercy alone. There is no one more or less deserving of this than another. God has locked us all up in sin so that He might show mercy on us all. This is why it is always God’s nature to lift up the fallen and bring down the proud. His truth is a leveling and unifying factor.
When we get this we will treat everyone justly. When we get this, we will understand our kinship with all humanity. When we understand this, we will understand and appreciate God’s grace. When we understand this, we will no longer separate ourselves from anyone. When we understand this, condemnation will cease. When we understand this, we will know how to present the gospel to everyone. “I know you. We were locked up together, and God’s mercy to me is the same answer for you.”
I’m keeping the T-shirt as a reminder – my former prison clothes – even if I only use it as an undershirt. This is too important to forget.
John Fischer The Catch 
A very interesting thought indeed. I have but one clarification to make. I think it’s not quite right to say, “God has locked us all up in sin so that He might show mercy on us all.” I think it’s more that “God allows us to lock ourselves up in sin so that we would come to Him so that He might show mercy on us all, and that His glorious light might shine thru the cracks in our lives.”
Here’s the problem. I didn’t say it; Paul did. Like I said in another reply, we certainly participated in it, but God set up the system by which we would fail at the Old covenant and receive the New by faith.
Ah, yes. Now I see what you’re saying. Thanks.
Need to add an Amen to this, because I know how much I need it: “When we get this we will treat everyone justly. When we get this…”
John – Really like the concept of the ‘unifying factor’ concerning sin & all…in fact attempting to
teach on it this weekend. My question though
is: Didn’t WE ‘shut’ ourselves up in our sin and
not God? Free will was given – but it was I
who chose sin – not God. Make sense?
Well we certainly participated in it, but God set up the system by which we would fail at the Old covenant and receive the New by faith.
I am very okay with you repeating stuff we really need to get – like this! Since lack of love and judgment of those not yet walking with Christ seems to be the number one thing keeping people from God (Christ, church, etc.), keep on repeating, please!! Thank you.
Even those of us who are walking with Christ can show a lack of love and judge others–sometimes even our fellow Christians. That’s something I need to work on regularly…
Dear Karen, plz don’t feel alone in the regard it too is something I need to work on regularly.