What late fine?

 In 2017, the Nashville Public Library did the unthinkable.  They eliminated overdue fines on library materials, not from that date forward, but retroactively, no matter how long ago it was borrowed.  Other urban libraries watched closely, sticking to their hard and fast rules.  The historical and ongoing attitude was that if there were no consequences, borrowers would never return books ever again.  

But this act of grace had an opposite effect.  As grace always does.

This past October, five years after Nashville, the New York City public library system resorted to the same protocol.  And while the income from late fines disappeared, treasures suddenly came to the surface.  The skeptical, rule-following librarians were astounded.  Books were returned, suddenly appearing at every library branch, floods of them.  Boxes of very late books were left on the doorstep, some books anonymously slid one by one through the return slot, some even with attached notes of apology and sentiments of how much that volume meant dearly to them over the years.  One book in particular had been borrowed in 1965.  In the Brooklyn branch alone, in the first four months, an incredible 51,000 books were returned, some so old and dated that they were no longer listed in the library collection.

But books were not the only things that returned.  With the fines absolved and patrons now forgiven --no longer feeling guilty and judged and shamed-- people returned to the library.  Whereas usage of public libraries had dipped some 20 percent in the past several years, patrons were now flocking back.  People were not getting away with negligence or rebellion or even thievery.  They were coming back into relationship.

In a recent article, the New York Times interviewed a young single mom with an eight year old daughter.  She was too ashamed to cross the threshold, banished and unable to check out any more materials due to the rules.  Forgiven of the burden of her accumulated $50 overdue fine, the librarian at the desk cheerfully welcomed her and her little girl back. 

Grace has a way of doing that.  When we let go of "you owe me," whatever the transgression or wounded pride or unreturned possession, the door to relationship opens again.  Grace is not getting away with anything.  Grace changes the world.  Grace says, "You are more important to me than that."

And that is the story of the Bible woven from cover to cover.

We cannot make up for lost time, but we don't have to live with regrets or grudges that multiply over time.  We still have a relationship.  Forgiveness presses delete.  What late fine?  Grace empowers us to do so.  

And as the New York Times article stated, "the treasures came pouring in."  In tens of thousands of ways. 

As grace always does.

 

Forgive us our debts

as we have also

     forgiven our debtors. 

                     Matthew 6. 12  

And you, who were dead in your trespasses...

God made alive together with Him,

having forgiven us all our trespasses,

by canceling the record of debt

that stood against us

          with its legal demands.

This He set aside,

            nailing it to the cross.

                         Colossians 2. 13-14