Radical Grace in Life and Leadership

THE FOUL ODORS OF GRACE HOARDING

View Comments | December 11th, 2009 9:12:58 am

Posted by Mike Foster:

I’ve been watching a new show called Hoarders on A & E.  It is a fascinating look inside the lives of people who can’t part with their belongings.

The show demonstrates hoarding that is so out of control that their homes wreak of rotting food, stuffed with junk, and their residences are on the verge of being condemned.

It’s sad, tragic and disturbing to watch.

When we collect grace in our lives and yet refuse to give it out we become GRACE HOARDERS. And tragically as GRACE HOARDERS we become just as foul as the homes that are on the verge of being condemned.

Mercy comes into our lives and then it’s to suppose to generously flow out to others. That is the natural cycle. It’s not meant to be piled up in a box in the corner. 

So as PEOPLE OF THE SECOND CHANCE the challenge is to let out mercy. Release grace. Pour out forgiveness. For your ex. For Tiger. Your spouse. That critic. Your failed parents.

Stop holding it in.


[Post to Twitter] Tweet This Post | Subscribe to Blog | Email a Friend




View Comments to “THE FOUL ODORS OF GRACE HOARDING”


Good thoughts Mike. Thanks.


 Posted by: Jason // December 11th, 2009 at 9:19 am>




Great reminder, Thanks for posting it.

I needed that reminder especially for Mr. Woods.


 Posted by: Molly // December 11th, 2009 at 9:31 am>




Thanks for that, Mike. It is so easy to cast anger towards others and forget the Grace in which God bestows over us even as we often fail him. Perfect timing for this reminder as we are headstrong into the Holiday Season.


 Posted by: Dean // December 11th, 2009 at 9:37 am>




Amen.


 Posted by: Carol // December 11th, 2009 at 9:41 am>




Wise words, Mike. Keep ‘em coming.


 Posted by: Sarah Cunningham // December 11th, 2009 at 9:56 am>




Great stuff man. This could be a message series :)


 Posted by: Jud Wilhite // December 11th, 2009 at 10:24 am>




Grace as well as mercy are dispensed by God at his discression and if we hoard those most beautiful benefits of being christians that we clearly prove our heart is not like his. A clenched fist has no room to recieve a further blessing.


 Posted by: Jose Luis Liano // December 11th, 2009 at 11:13 am>




Hi my names Carol and I am a grace horder. :) Seriously though I have found that I can slip into hording grace and distributing judgement. We are all sinners. We all need a savior.


 Posted by: Carol // December 11th, 2009 at 11:17 am>




Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jim_Gray: RT @POTSC New blog post: THE FOUL ODORS OF GRACE HOARDING http://bit.ly/6DjY7g #potsc…


 Posted by: uberVU – social comments // December 11th, 2009 at 11:24 am>




Mike,

A friend of mine told me about the foul oders of hoarding grace. Love your comments. I’m a grace freak who agrees that grace hoarders stink… I’m sniffing my own pits right now and I think I better start giving grace away!!

You can read my blog at http://gracefreakdan.wordpress.com

I’m going to keep up with your posts.

Thanks,

Grace Freak Dan


 Posted by: Dan // December 11th, 2009 at 11:32 am>




It’s interesting to notice something else about the Hoarders on A&E… they come to a place, very quickly, where they don’t… cannot… enjoy anything they have, let alone share it. What’s the point of God’s grace if it doesn’t free you and empower you? What do we have to give (mercy, forgiveness, etc..) if not empowered by the Father to do so? We have to choose to give it away, but even the choice and the strength to do so, comes from His empowering grace!!!!


 Posted by: Matthew // December 11th, 2009 at 12:07 pm>




That’s an awesome comment Matthew. Thanks!


 Posted by: Jud Wilhite // December 11th, 2009 at 12:19 pm>




I was convinced by grace hoarders that God’s grace was not enough for me…so I spend almost my entire adult life angry at God and Christians. 5 years ago, at the age of 43, I experienced God’s grace and realized how truly immeasurable it is! I’m a high school youth group leader now and spend most of my time reaching out to teens who think God can’t possibly love them, letting them know that his love and grace is for everyone.
BTW…came across POTSC after posting a comment on a page because I was so disgusted about the book-banning thing. I ended up removing my comment because it was so un-gracious toward the protester…but all of that ended up helping me find this site and I’m sharing it with my youth group.
Is there any way to download some of the videos you have posted on youtube??? I want to show them to my teens.


 Posted by: David Vollstedt // December 11th, 2009 at 12:24 pm>




@david we should have them available pretty soon for download.

@matthew great thought

@dan love the blog and especially the title! :)

on this topic i know so often i have to remind myself to let it out and let it flow…ultimately what i think im holding in is not so much grace but my judgment, unforgiveness, bitterness, etc…and that stuff causing me to “stink”…


 Posted by: Mike Foster // December 11th, 2009 at 12:38 pm>




Oh mercy that show is unreal! Good analogy too!

So many Christ followers are consumers, hoarders, “fat” Christians. I pray I don’t hold on to anything that could benefit someone else! Oh Jesus, forgive me for my own hoarding!


 Posted by: Natalie Witcher // December 11th, 2009 at 1:23 pm>




Mike,
Kind of a “chicken or the egg” thought I’ve had for some time now in my own head. I think I struggle with accepting grace because I have a hard time extending it to others. Or maybe it’s the other way around. Probably both. I judge myself harshly at times I think because that’s what I’m thinking about others. Anyway. Thanks for this reminder. It should be a consistent cyclical flow. So, I think it starts with me better grasping God’s grace for me, but I think I’ll also start truly extending it to others and then hopefully I’ll be able to extend it to myself and accept it from others as well.


 Posted by: Drew // December 11th, 2009 at 2:16 pm>




Mike,

Thanks for the good word about my blog. I’m pretty new to the whole thing but loving it.

Thought I’d mention that Jonah is a great example of a grace hating racist that God used inspite of himself. Even grace haters and grace hoarders get grace.

turning people toward grace,

Dan


 Posted by: Dan // December 11th, 2009 at 5:30 pm>




I’m blown away by this story and our opportunity to be the people of a second chance to a desperate recipient.

http://tinyurl.com/y9klspq

amazing story to me. opportunities abound.


 Posted by: Andy Denen // December 11th, 2009 at 6:42 pm>




Matthew, thank you. I think you just hit the nail right on the head.

I’ve become a grace hoarder. I thought that would NEVER happen. And you are right. I’m miserable just now. I can’t enjoy anything. Not even Christmas because it’s tainted with resentment about who I can’t spend it with.

I really need to shower some grace on my Dad. Gulp.


 Posted by: Laura Anne (@koalainscotland) // December 13th, 2009 at 4:30 am>




@laura anne i think showing grace to our family memebers is often one of the hardest and most complicated situations. thots are with you.

@andy definitely a great opportunity for all of us to be about being a force of a good vs. adding to the pain/gossip/hurt to this family.


 Posted by: Mike Foster // December 13th, 2009 at 10:25 am>




And the real rub is that when you dedicate yourself to being a gracious person, you are suddenly sensitized to all sorts of people you feel don’t “deserve” it. And then–BOOM–it hits you again that you don’t deserve it either.


 Posted by: Bruce Nuffer // December 14th, 2009 at 7:55 am>




GA – Grace Anonymous
12 steps to recovering from a self-centered, entltled and Christ-less version of Christianity!


 Posted by: vince beresford // December 14th, 2009 at 10:04 pm>




Add your comment

Name 

E-mail 

Website


Your Comment:


Include your most recent blog post
blog comments powered by Disqus

Recent Posts


Archives





#POTSC

+ jason_law: @JudWilhite man, you are bringing it today! #potsc »

+ seanrreid: As a @UGABulldogs alumn & fan I want to win games but I have to admit some things are bigger than football. @MarkRicht gets that. #POTSC »

+ seanrreid: after learning more about Bobby Bowden I understand @MarkRicht a little better. He's a coach of true grace. He's a #POTSC (@POTSC) »

+ View All

POTSC's Twitter

+ YOUR DRUG OF CHOICE IN THE MORNING?: Posted by Mike Foster: I started my day today with this beauty. (see pic abo... http://bit.ly/ceQTJc 1 week ago

+ RT @PlywoodPeople August's Social Innovators List featuring @MikeFoster and @POTSC http://plywoodpeople.com/3712 1 week ago

+ @jason_law we would need a android developer. 2 weeks ago


Recent Comments

+ BEIJING BREAK
says: me

+ PREDATORS, PARASITES, AND SCAVENGERS BLOOD
Sherie says: A few years back during school I was exposed to ...

+ PREDATORS, PARASITES, AND SCAVENGERS BLOOD
@kylelreed says: It sounds like he is saying, "being aware of our ...

+ PREDATORS, PARASITES, AND SCAVENGERS BLOOD
mohan37 says: Wowow that's crazy! something to look up now on my ...

+ PREDATORS, PARASITES, AND SCAVENGERS BLOOD
mohan37 says: Right on. Can't die to sin if we don't admit ...