When Christians don’t hold the line

I run most mornings. It's usually dark outside and, even though I wear a bright reflective vest, there's always someone who nearly runs me over. I assume they're still asleep.

Today I waited to run until the sun was up. Along the way, a teenager passed within inches of me on a bike. I know she saw me; she looked right at me. She held a perfectly straight line and I did too—so we didn't crash.

But there have been mornings when I've tripped, even fallen down. I'd have felt better if the biker had given me a little more margin.

It's something I need to remember in my relationships with others. Sometimes they may be asleep—not focusing at the moment on Christ and his kingdom. Others may have too much confidence in their ability—and mine—to hold a straight line. If one of us swerves, we're going to crash.

It's better to anticipate error and provide a bigger margin of grace.