The fall from grace is not the end of the story

Dec. 17—It must be severely difficult to go from famous to infamous. How does a person cope mentally when you find yourself way down on a low rung of life's ladder after being beloved? Sometimes it's a halfway down slippage, and you're only a has-been. That can be hard enough: think of the child movie-stars and how many of them dissolve into difficulty after they are no longer any big deal. Think of successes in the world of work who went from important leader to now just another retiree.

To go from popular to insignificant is hard enough, but the bigger collapse: from darling to derided, would truly test your mental health. Let me cite three recent examples of quite spectacular falls from grace.

1) Andrew Cuomo. He was up on a pedestal as the COVID-fighting champion governor of New York and likely presidential nominee. He was adored by the press and heir of an elite political family in the Big Apple. Then ... he stepped on the banana peel of sexual indiscretions and down he went.

2) Liz Truss. Her rise and fall as prime minister of England was record-setting. Seen around the world shaking hands with her majesty Queen Elizabeth, Truss was set to be one the most powerful women in the world. She lasted seven weeks. Bad decisions got her gonged off the stage.

3) Elon Musk. The richest man in the world, the genius entrepreneur who was saving the world by bringing us electric vehicles, was held dear by the ruling class and atop many a magazine cover. Every climate-loving American wanted a Tesla. All hail Elon. Oh, how that tune has changed.

I hope that you, my readers, have not experienced such a fall. However, on a scale smaller than Cuomo/Truss/Musk, it does happen. Whether it's your fault or not, people who used to admire you may not any more. Even family members who used to lovingly smile upon you may not now. It could have been something you said, or did or just the quirks of life, but the bloom may fall off your life's rose.

But friend, do remember: that through it all, high or low, God's grace remains. His undeserved love for us is not subject to the whim of human judgment. Listen to His steadfast declaration of favor toward you, "I am the Lord your God, the holy one of Israel, your Savior ... you are precious and honored in my sight, and I love you." Isaiah 43:3-4

The prophet goes on to say, "I have engraved you on the palms of my hands ... you are ever before me." Isaiah 49:16

Those nail-pierced hands are for you. Because of Jesus' redeeming death on the cross for you, you've had a fall into grace. Oh how marvelous is the gracious and eternal gift of God. You are not a has-been. You are a will-be heir of glory.

Chris Brekke is a retired pastor who served Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Rochester for 13 years and Trinity Lutheran in West Concord for 10. He and his wife live in Roseville, Minn., where he keeps busy with volunteering, church and family.

"From the Pulpit" features reflections from area religious leaders. To contribute, email us at life@postbulletin.com with "From the Pulpit" in the subject line.