Some say the Holy Spirit was at work at the recent PCUSA General Assembly. Now, according to one Sister, God may have been at work in LeBron James’ decision to go play for Cleveland.
Things are pretty close to paradise around here in northeast Ohio, and it’s not because we’re hosting the 2016 Republican National Convention. I was caught off-guard by an unexpected lump in my throat last week when I read LeBron James’ letter in Sports Illustrated announcing he was coming home to play with the Cleveland Cavaliers. It wasn’t only that he was returning; it was why.
“My relationship with Northeast Ohio is bigger than basketball. I didn’t realize that four years ago. I do now,” James said.You see, LeBron isn’t just any basketball rock star. He’s our rock star. We watched this young phenom from the Akron projects win game after game for his high school, St. Vincent-St. Mary (yep, a Catholic school). The crowds got so large they had to move the games out of the antiquated gym into larger venues. . . .
To say we were ecstatic with Friday’s announcement doesn’t begin to cover it. Local TV stations interrupted regularly scheduled programming for two hours at a pop to report the developing story. “I’m Coming Home” and “Forgiven” T-shirts quickly materialized out of nowhere. Within five hours, every season ticket was sold out. Local pizza joints created “King Supreme” specialty pizzas. People honked and hollered all over the city.
“It’s great to watch our city forgive … there is an aura of love all over today,” one fan said to a TV reporter.
Imagine how ecstatic Sister Schenk would have been had James decided to play for the Rome Vitrus. Talk about divided loyalties (or not).
Old Life 
Well, Toolian says it’s all of grace:
“LeBron’s decision to return to a city he loves with a desire to bless the same people who cursed and ridiculed him four years ago is a remarkable picture of grace.
Cleveland, not LeBron, is the fickle prodigal son. And LeBron, not Cleveland, is the devoted father. He welcomes Cleveland back with open arms and never once asks them to take back every terrible and mean thing they said and did. By returning to Cleveland, he shows all of us how to love and forgive the ill-deserving.
Yes, LeBron, you have certainly shown me that you are much more than a high-priced basketball diva. I will miss you in Miami but am happy to welcome you into the grace club…for it is here that you will find peace and play the game of basketball with a much lighter heart and more passion than ever.”
http://www.pastortullian.com/2014/07/12/the-grace-of-a-great-a-farewell-to-lebron-james/
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Maybe this quote is relevant to the discussion: “The first step would be to remove the term grace from any discussion of the ongoing vestiges of the image of God in fallen man and the gifts and virtues associated with the image. Restricting the notion of grace to the soteriological realm honors Hoeksema’s concerns and would suggest that the expression “good works” also be restricted to the Heidelberg Catechism’s understanding of “only those that proceed from a true faith.” The material content of this issue could then be placed in the doctrine of providence where it is free from all confusion with soteriology. Both sides would then clearly affirm total depravity, that even the best of human deeds are polluted with sin, and that apart from saving grace no one willingly does good.”
http://standardbearer.rfpa.org/articles/proposed-reformulation-third-point-common-grace
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