Jesus is master of hyperbole: I mean, how ridiculous is the parable of the prodigal son? The younger son ungraciously asks for his share of the inheritance and promptly squanders it. When he comes back to His grieving father, he doesn't even have time to say ‘sorry’. Instead of disgrace there is embrace, instead of rebuke an extravagant celebration! Only the best for the worst of offenders!
And what about the parable of the Good Samaritan? The traveller, after all, was an idiot. He was travelling on his own on a tortuous road renowned for bandits. Hadn’t he taken into consideration that something like that could well happen? And did he think he really deserved to be rescued, cared for and generously provided for in his folly?
Grace is giving us sinners exactly the opposite of what we deserve. It’s ridiculous ... as ridiculous as a perfect God being mercilessly tortured and dying on a cross for us, sinners through and through.
These parables were told to transform our thinking about what God is like; they were told to transform our attitude to others as well: we’re to be like God ... full of, full of, full of .... that same grace. And that's a challenge ...
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