restitution

the idea of restitution is lost in our church today.

restitution: the act of restoring to the rightful owner something that has been taken away, lost, or surrendered.

the idea of "payback" is not something we in the church think often of. we think Jesus paid the price for sin, and we simply get to sit under His grace and that is the end of our responsibility. but, i must push further and stress the importance of seeking restitution when longing for restoration.

it is one thing to confess (which is commanded), another to ask for forgiveness (also commanded), and quite another to allow/receive healing and experience complete restoration (i believe that often comes through restitution).

we need to be people who set the record straight... who go above and beyond in trying to live at peace with all people. we need to be people who strive to bring about healing. and this is done by giving back.

it looks like working to regain trust, rebuild relationship, and restore respect. this is not done with a simple and heartfelt "i'm sorry"... it's done with an understanding of the ethical responsibility we have to set things right. of course, i believe this is done with the help of Christ, but i think we do our faith injustice when we simply demand God's grace and fail to step up to the plate.

please don't hear me taking anything away from Christ's work on the cross... it was perfect and complete in every way. but, the responsibility of the believer is to imitate our Savior... and when living in a broken relationship, the call is to breathe grace through restitution. the "i'm sorry" means a lot more with a little backbone to it.

=)