Churches paying $10,000 of Parking Tickets in Boise to be a parable of God's Grace.

I had the opportunity of attending a press conference this morning. It was very interesting...

 Churches in Idaho, being assisted by businessmen and women, will be using $10,000 to pay parking tickets for anyone and everyone...until the money runs out.

It's called the Grace Gift Parable.

The principle behind this parable is what?

Paying the debts legitimately owed by people who have broken the law?

Yep.

 And that really torques some people off...

Some have questioned (during a previous event in 2004):

Shouldn't this money have been used for the poor - especially at this holiday time of the year?

People don't deserve this so-called grace, do they?

Isn't this a publicity stunt?

Interesting questions, though I sort of sense that honest answers may help honest questions.

Why?

• Christian churches spend millions of dollars each year helping the homeless and feeding the poor. They do this EVERY week, not just during a holiday week...so?
• Deserve? That's the point of GRACE (defined as "undeserved favor"). Again, so...?
• Publicity helps people know that they can be helped, doesn't it? Stunt? Like a one-time event? Well, this is the 3rd or 4th time the Grace Gift has been done in the valley. (Second time with paid Parking Tickets). So, there's no "one-time event here, is there?

Here's what the press had to say about it:

5pm GG coverage from Mission Media on Vimeo.

Comments

[Margaret]

Rewarding bad behaviour? The comment was made that churches help the poor, homeless and hungry all the time. Well take the $10,000 and help the poor even more. I just don't get the rewarding of bad behaviour of those that do something that they aren't supposed to be doing by not paying their parking fines.

[Dennis]

Ah, Margaret, you make my point and the point of those who have unveiled this Grace Gift Parable.

We simply don't deserve it.

Just like we simply don't deserve Heaven. That's WHY Christ paid our "tickets" on the Cross....and it's also why so many people ALSO refuse his free gift of salvation.

Hmmm...what do you think?
Den