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@nataliegrant

The Vest

I was driving to the airport this morning & saw a group of “workers” picking up trash on the side of the road. Each one was wearing an orange vest with these words emblazoned on the back:

“I AM A DRUNK DRIVER.”

Wow. Most hung their head low, hoping not to make any eye contact with the drivers passing by. There it was, in big capital letters for all the world to see.

Now listen, I’m not about to defend anyone who drinks and drives. They absolutely deserve to be punished by the law. Drinking & Driving has robbed many families of a mom, a dad, a spouse, a son, a daughter. Wearing an orange vest seems a little lenient if you ask me.

But, seeing their shame printed across their backs made me wonder what my vest would say. Can you imagine having to walk around with your sins being announced to the world? My secrets alone would be too many to even fit on one vest.

Many of us walk around wearing a similar vest. No, our mistakes and sins are not printed on the back, but the weight of our guilt hunches us over and we walk with a defeated posture. We avoid making eye contact and light & joy are missing from our face. We’re dressed in shame.

Today I’m shedding that vest. See, I have another vest and it’s just my size. This same vest fits anyone, regardless of who you are. The words emblazoned on the back say:

“I AM FORGIVEN.”

Let that vest show today. Wear your forgiveness. May grace and peace so permeate our own lives, that it can’t help but spill out to everyone around us. This vest is always in fashion, never out of style, and always the perfect fit. :)

“But those who depend on faith, not on deeds, and who believe in the God who declares the GUILTY TO BE INNOCENT, it is this faith that God takes in to account to put them right with Himself.” Romans 4:5

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1

You. Are. Forgiven. Act like it.

With love AND freedom :)

Natalie

February 20, 2010  •  42 Comments  •  Posted in Blog, Love Revolution, Music, News, Travel
  • EJ

    God used you today! Had a couple of tough days where the whispers of the enemy reminding me of all the shame & guilt of my past were drowning me. I needed to be reminded of His forgiveness today and your post has done it in just a way that my soul was reached deep down inside. PTL! Now I can drown in His enormous love for me and climb outta the pit I’d gotten stuck in. Thank You Jesus for servants like Natalie!

  • http://www.kristigriem.com Kristi

    Great illustration and visual, thanks for sharing! I’ll ponder that all weekend and thank the Lord for the grace and forgivness given. Hallelujiah!

  • http://Myspace.com/emilecaires Emile Caires

    Great post! That spoke to directly. God bless you n fill you more!!

  • http://www.spintheaxis.com Jason

    What a great post, Natalie. It can be so hard to do that sometimes.

    I’ve had to really fight it because of my past addiction to pornography. If you want to talk about something that the “church” would put on a blazing orange vest and staple to someone’s chest it would be a vest that says “porn addict” in huge letters. I allowed that for so long to keep me weighed down and hidden. I wouldn’t allow myself to feel freedom of forgiveness because of those around me who would still brand me as not a forgiven person but a sinner who failed God.

    Now, I just be me and not care if someone has a problem with my past. It’s my past…not my current or future…and if they can’t forgive me it’s not my problem. God forgave me!

  • Elizabeth

    What a very interesting analagy. Pretty awesome thing to think about. Very cool way to get the word out about Christ’s love for us all.

  • Barb

    I almost did not click on this link on Twitter, but decided to after 3 attempts of moving on. Wow, powerful, what a blessing to read this. I needed this today. Thanks

  • Marty

    Thanks natalie – what a soft yet penetrating word – I receive it!

  • http://11thhourrebel.blogspot.com Karina

    Wow! That is a fantastic word picture. I wonder how many of those Drunk Drivers would like to trade their vests in for one that reads I am Forgiven. I am learning, when I look in my ‘closet’ to choose the I am forgiven vest. Once in awhile I even take one of my other vests and just throw it in the trash. I hope someday to whittle my wardrobe down to just one piece. ;)

  • Billy Purcell

    Sound’s like there’s a song in there somewhere!

  • Lynn Leaming

    Thank you God for speaking through Natalie today. I needed that reminder and am taking off my vest right now.

  • http://confirmtheworkofourhands.blogspot.com Shelley

    What a great post and reminder that we ARE forgiven. Thank you, Jesus!

  • Ruth

    Indeed! Your post Ms. Natalie is so great! It gave me an encouragement… you know, sometimes the devil uses our minds and place in it thoughts of our past sins that we didn’t notice we’re already caught by the feeling of GUILT… and in my situation right now sometimes I really feel that way, I mean the guilt of the past,. But when I read your post I was reminded to live my life with joy and with freedom, because I am forgiven from my past sins and even the mess I made lately. You’re an encouragement not just to me but to others! Oh and by the way, I love love love your songs! Just discovered your other tracks lately,. haha! Quite funny cause I am just 21 year old so just listened to your other songs. God bless you more and continue to be a blessing! Love yah! =))

  • http://www.twitter.com/JacquiL Jacqui

    Thanks for being the kind of Christian that gives people hope, rather than passing judgment. You really have a way with words. :)

  • Edward

    Thanks Natalie, so many need to be reminded of this myself included Thank You. Thank You Father God for the people you put in our lives to remind us that you are still in control of all! I Love You!!! Glory in the Highest!!!

  • Greg

    Thanx! This is indeed a great post. Now that we have all put on our vest, are we willing to give the drunk drivers a vest like ours. Or, must we look diligently for a stone. Mt 6:14-15

  • Mandy

    Wow. That was so appropriate. I just had a huge bring-down, this weekend, and lost something pretty important to me, to see the obvious reality right in front of me: I was doing something REALLY bad! :(
    So thanks. I needed that. And what a neat analogy! You are truly a blessing, through your ministry, Natalie. Thanks. I needed that today.
    And what a humble thing to think about; What would your vest say?
    I would probably be thinking, “Those dirty, rotten people! Boy do they deserve that!”
    Now you have me thinking about what MY vest would say! Boy, would I be embarrassed about it, too.
    But you know what? You’re right! I am forgiven. And thanks to you, I am now going to ‘act like it’. :)

    Love you Natalie! Thanks again and again for doing what you do!
    Mandy.

  • Rebekah

    Wow, thank you so much for sharing that. Really got me thinking. :D

  • Josh

    My worship pastor passed your post on to the team. That’s a visual I’ll see in the mirror each day.

    “I am forgiven.”

  • sammy

    Wow, God did really use u.

  • http://www.starkeyadoption.blogspot.com april

    Amen sister! LOVE this! Thanks for this! I did not know they put their accusations on the backs…but boy are you right…just imagining what my vest would say. Thank God and Praise God that I AM FORGIVEN!

  • Kim

    Natalie,

    You gave a great witness today! My first thoughts went to the law enforcement side of me feeling that “wow” what a great idea for our area to have drunk drivers have to to cleanup along the road with their sin posted across their back. Then…as I read on… your words humbled me. My vest also would not be handle marking the words of my sins that are current and of the past. Shaming and guilt is what kept me in the black for so many years. Always wearing a mask. Always afraid to let the public see that I was human and struggled like everyone. I believe part of it is the sin of Pride. Who am I to judge? The devil uses very subtle sneaky ways to get us to trip over ourselves then shame and guilt to hold us down on the ground clouding our hearts and minds from knowing God’s forgiveness. I pray that those people you saw that day will feel God’s embrace, pick up their head (cross) and make a difference.
    God Bless you & your family!

  • http://none Jillian

    WOW…… It’s great to know I’m not the only one with an extra large vest :)

  • Shelby

    Wow this really got me thinking……my sins would not fit…thank goodness we have a GOd that is willing to take our sins so that we can be with him.

  • http://emilyaclark.blogspot.com Emily A. Clark

    What a beautiful post and great reminder we are all worthy of His forgiveness.

    First time I’ve visited your site but just wanted to tell you how much I love your music. And, it seems to have rubbed off on my 3-year-old. Here’s her rendition of “Perfect People.” (One of our favorites!):

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxIg9JlcZVU

  • Pingback: Natalie Grant

  • Tiffany Thompson

    Wow! What an awesome thought for my day. Thank you so much for sharing! Awesome.

    Tiffany

  • Heather Watson

    Hey Natalie. I can not explain how much that was a divine appointment for me to read this at the time that i did. I am so blessed by everythiung that you do. You are truely one of the greatest role models that ym generatiin has. I am seventeen and your music is amazing.

  • Daniela

    After reading what you wrote it helped me realize that I can be forgiven, and I must act on being forgiven. Thank you for helping me underestand better this clear truth. You are an amazing person, and I’m thankful to God for your wonderful words of wisdom. BE BLESSED!

  • http://gmail.com Alayna

    Wow.. Thats very true we do need to spread the words of God. And defiently show it, I defiently need to work on it. Lol.. Well thanks for that mini preach. :)

  • http://casualfridayeveryday.com Janelle

    Incredible. So moving. Moving tears down my face. God is so good. Jesus is the best gift, Daddy, loving friend. I’m so in love with Him.

    Janelle

  • cindy

    thank you so much for the vivid illustration ~ the scarlet letter of the new millenium. “we avoid making eye contact and joy is missing from our face” ~ you do not know how true this statement is especially when your sin involves another person ~ you do avoid eye contact and all of your joy is gone because the sin and shame wear you down; we do wear it like a vest.

    thank you for the reminder ~ so vividly ~ that we are forgiven ~ we need to act like it!! thank God ! <3

  • Brenda Bryant

    Hey Natalie
    this was awesome. And I was thinking it would make a ready good song.
    You go girl
    God Bless

  • Keith

    Ms Grant…Thank you for writing the Vest. I too understand the need for punishment. However, what happens when these people are required to wear the Vest for the rest of their lives? How can it be said there is no condemnation? Certainly, with Christ that is so, but it is not so with the rest of the world.

    Take a look at what the Adam Walsh Act has done to so many families. People who have paid the debt in full for their crime are are now forced to have their photos published on the internet, have lost jobs, can’t find suitable work, have been murdered, have committed suicide, and the list goes on because they committed a sexual offense as much as twenty five years ago.

    Believe me, there is condemnation.

  • Laura

    We each have an opportunity everyday to make a difference in someone’s life, and knowing that we are truly forgiven for “the stains of our past”, allows the light of The Holy Spirit to shine through us.

  • Darryl

    Ms Grant,

    I love your music and stopped by the website…talk abt “divine appts”…you wrote this a month ago and God knew I needed to see it today. I pray everyday for God to forgive me where I fail Him, yet I hold on to the pain and guilt and punish myself over and again….and though I know I am forgiven, I sure don’t act like it…..
    Thank you for sharing your gift of music with us all and thank you for this reminder of the grace we all have so undeservedly been given by our loving Father. May God continue to bless us all.

  • Molly

    Beautifully written! I heard this on K-Love last week and can’t stop thinking about it. I keep thinking about all of our hidden sins and how humiliating it would be to wear my sins on my back. My father was killed by a drunk driver, but I know that the man who killed him didn’t get in the car to kill my dad that night. He was irresponsible, he made a mistake, a big one. But I forgive him, I have to or the hate would kill me. He is in jail now (this was not his first DUI – his rap sheet was long and varied, a very troubled man), but I pray that he can find God and ask for forgiveness. It is only by the grace of God that his life is not my own! I am blessed and I AM FORGIVEN! Thank you Natalie…

  • Michelle

    God uses you in an amazing way, Natalie!

    Does anyone know which translation those verses come from? Thanks!

  • http://www.paigeknudsen.blogspot.com paige

    wow
    so true
    i’m so grateful we have a god who never wants us to advertise our sins….the ones that he gave his life for
    wow

    ps-just saw your tweet–congrats!

  • Shelby

    Wow christ is so good. My vest is the perfect size now.

  • Lindsay

    wow. amazing Natalie.
    we all definetly have our vests that we metaphorically wear but hide because we are too ashamed for others to see in bold print the sins we’ve commited. but sometimes when we let that vest show and allow others to see how we’ve sinned but also allow others to see directly how we’ve been forgiven for all of it then makes it so the power, the encouragement, and the inspiration is that much stronger. God uses us and our mistakes to minister to others.
    You see a group of people in orange vests that say boldly “I AM A DRUNK DRIVER” and you see a different perspective of things.
    When we let others see some of our imperfections and the sins we’ve commited but then also seen are large, bold, capatilized words that cover those things saying “I AM FORGIVEN”… that’s a vest to be worn, that’s a story to be told, that’s a life to be lived.
    Thanks for sharing that, it really showed me another perspective on things. Everything you said, you said so beautifully and with such truth.
    You are so inspirational.

  • http://www.thepriceoftrust.com Amanda

    Wow ~ what a fantastic article! Thank you for sharing it ~ really hits home when you think about it and apply it to ourselves. Thanks again for the encouragement!
    Amanda

  • http://yahoo.com christian feltmeyer

    i think drinking and driving should the most important law.