M. SCOTT PECK & GRACE

During my seminary days some required reading was, "The Road Less Traveled" by M. Scott Peck. Peck is to liberal for me, yet one could not accuse him of being dishonest. He would describe himself as being a 'mystic psychiatrist.' He is somewhere on the continuum between an Apostle and the Antichrist, though some have accused him of being just that. When "Psychology Today" interviewed him, I was interested in what he had to say for himself. A couple of things from that interview I would like to share with you:

". . . take people with phobias. Two things characterize them. One is that they see this world as a very dangerous place. The other is that they see themselves as isolated in this dangerous world. So it is up to them, by their wits alone, to keep themselves alive. You usually treat them by converting them to adopt a more benign view of the world as a less dangerous place, or by persuading them that there is something called grace protecting them so they don't have to worry about everything all the time." Grace is the environment in which we all live. It is the atmosphere that we breathe. It is the power of Christ that sustains and makes provision for His creation, and the salvation of His people (Colossians 1:15-17).

"Psychology Today" asked, "You had, many years ago, a problem with infidelity that you later overcame. How did you overcome it?" Peck replied, "I didn't overcome it. I lost my libido." What honesty! He didn't claim any virtue. His physiology changed so he had no sexual desire any longer. It emphasizes the point that there is no virtue in simply not doing something simply because one doesn't desire to do it. What makes "not doing" virtuous is to desire, and have the power to do, wrestle with it and make the decision not to do. My wrestling match may not be your wrestling match, but we all have them and we all lose them. The problem is that we tend to be judgmental of another person losing a wrestling match that we do not have. We all need to thank God for the provision of His abundant grace in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24).

Grace & Peace;
Tom