Grace in the news
I have found this story fascinating. Maybe I find it interesting because I have two teenagers and am immersed in their world. Or maybe it is because I made a few dumb moves my first year and a half of college. And maybe it is because of the interesting twist that this story of grace took in the interview…
Trump decides not to fire Miss USA
The Associated PressUpdated: 6:44 p.m. CT Dec 19, 2006NEW YORK - Donald Trump gave Miss USA a reprieve Tuesday, allowing the boozing beauty queen to retain her title after she agreed to enter rehab and undergo drug testing.
In a moment of television drama filled with redemptive tears and longing looks, a tough-talking Trump, co-owner of the pageant, turned soft and decided to forgive Tara Conner for her debauched behavior.
“I’ve always been a believer in second chances,” said Trump, who owns the Miss Universe Organization and Miss USA with NBC. “Tara is going to be given a second chance.”
Trump met with Conner earlier Tuesday morning fully expecting to fire her, he said. But he walked away convinced the young woman was a “good person” with a “good heart” and not deserving of the boot….At the news conference, in a tear-choked voice, Conner said, “In no way did I think it would be possible for a second chance to be given to me.”
Turning to Trump, she said, “You’ll never know what this means to me, and I swear I will not let you down.”
The first part of the story conveyed a touching example of grace, but that last sentence has me worried. Perhaps it is way too soon to analyze her statements, but I would think that any step toward sobriety would include the realization that at any moment you could fall again. To swear that you will never fall again sets you up for failure. My thoughts on grace are that we are totally undeserving and cannot do anything of our own accord to keep it within the grasp of our hands. Grace is a gift which remains in the hands of the giver, Grace demands that you keep walking right next to the giver in order to keep the gift. Of course, in Conner’s case, I don’t recommend that she walk right next to Trump!
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
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