The Wrecking Ball

There is something fascinating about watching a wrecking ball swing into an old building. In just a matter of seconds, years of history get reduced to a pile of rubble. But there is always a purpose behind the demolition. It is a necessary step in the construction process. Without tearing down the old, there would be no room to make something new and better.

This is also how God works in our lives. Once we experience the grace of Jesus, it’s easy to think that it is just a cover-up for all the mistakes we make. But it is much more than that. Grace isn’t about simply hiding what’s broken. It’s about breaking down the walls that separate us from showing God and others our true, genuine, and authentic selves.

There is a great example of this found in the book of Philemon. This was a short letter written by the apostle Paul to a Christian leader in the early church. It’s about a runaway slave named Onesimus who left his master, Philemon, after stealing from him. Onesimus ran to Rome, where he crossed paths with Paul. Paul shared the gospel with him, and Onesimus accepted Jesus.

But that wasn’t the end of the story. Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon, not as a slave, but as a brother in Christ. He asked Philemon to forgive him and welcome him like he would welcome Paul himself (Philemon 1:16-17). The walls between them had been torn down, and grace had made a way for something new to be built in their relationship.

Not only did Onesimus get forgiven for his past mistakes and sin, he was also given a completely new identity and a fresh start. He didn’t return to Philemon as the same man who ran away. Grace changed him. And in this story, Paul gives us a picture of what Jesus does for us. Just like Paul stepped in for Onesimus and pleaded on his behalf, Jesus steps in for us, tearing down the walls of sin and shame, and making a way for us to be welcomed back, not as slaves, but as sons and daughters of God.

So today, consider what walls in your life you have built up that need to be torn down. It could have been from a past hurt that hasn’t fully healed yet. It could have been from a failure or a mistake that you made a long time ago that you still carry shame and regret from. Whatever it is, just remember the truth that “if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here” (2 Corinthians 5:17). It’s time to let the wrecking ball of grace break down those walls and make a way for the new life waiting for you.

The Bigger Picture: God’s grace is the wrecking ball that tears down the old to make room for a new life and a new identity.