Saved by the Bell
There is a fascinating histroy to the phrase “Saved by the Bell”
Today, this expression is commonly used to refer to any event where someone is rescued, just in time, by circumstance.
Did you know its history traces bact to an event in 1696, involving a guard named John Hatfield stationed at Windsor Castle in England?
In that era, a guard’s duties were taken very seriously, which essentially meant remaining fully alert.
However, Hatfield was accused of sleeping on duty and neglecting his post. He was put on trial for this charge. Hatfield defended himself by claiming he hadn’t slept at all; instead, he said he heard the bells of St. Paul’s Cathedral—some 20 miles away in London—ring thirteen times. [Of course, that would be a rather uncommon claim, since bells don't ring beyond the 12th hour].
It was an extraordinary defense, and Hatfield was still found guilty. In those days, guards found guilty of dereliction of duty faced the death penalty by hanging.
Fortunately, a kind or curious soul—or perhaps both—pondered Hatfield’s remarkable defense long enough and decided to investigate. This person discovered that yes, the bells at St. Paul’s Cathedral had indeed rung thirteen times. Others in the community also heard and counted the thirteen bell strikes.
Hatfield’s sentence was ultimately postponed, and he lived to the age of 102. Truly, Hatfield had been “Saved by the Bell.”
This story echoes a deeper spiritual truth: we, too, stood guilty, unable to defend ourselves from the weight of our sin. But just in time, grace rang out—not from a bell tower, but from a cross on Calvary.
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
— Romans 5:8 (NKJV)
Jesus intervened right on time. Not because we earned it, but because God, in His mercy, made a way when none seemed possible. Just as John Hatfield was saved by a bell that validated his innocence, we are saved by the cross that validates God's love.
And even when life accuses us or we feel condemned:
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
— Romans 8:1 (ESV)
So, the next time you hear the phrase "saved by the bell", remember: you’ve been saved by something far greater—by a Savior whose timing is perfect and whose grace is enough.
Truly, it is an uncommon defense, but our ONLY defense, offered by our Great Defender, indeed our Advocaate before the Father!
"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One" (1 John 2:1, NIV).
Two Kinds of Fairness
What do we mean when we say life is or is not fair? God, in His infinite wisdom, does not operate with just one definition of fairness, but juggles two.
The most obvious form of fairness is the strict administration of justice, where everyone gets exactly what they deserve, no more, no less.
However, an alternative type of fairness is achieved through impartiality, where everyone is treated the same, regardless of merit.
For example, when two teams flip a coin to determine who gets the ball first, the outcome has nothing to do with which team is more deserving. A coin is flipped because the result is impartial, and that’s what makes it fair.
So randomness is fair when it shows no favoritism, while justice is fair when it does. In what sense, then, does God seek to be fair with us? Is it with the justice of a gavel striking the sound block, or with the impartiality of a coin spinning through the air?
Jesus addressed this issue head-on when he said, “Love those who are lovable. Pray for those who are deserving of your support, that you may be just like your Father in heaven. For He causes the sun to shine on the virtuous, and He directs the rain to fall exclusively on the fields of the faithful.”
You might be thinking that doesn’t sound much like Jesus, and you'd be right. What I just cited was what Bizarro Jesus might have said if he hailed from an alternate reality where justice, not grace, reigned supreme. The actual words of Jesus, hailing from our reality, where grace is the name of the game, are as follows: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:44-45, NKJV).
According to Jesus, God is fair, not with a fairness that rewards the deserving, but with a fairness that demonstrates the equal value that He places on each of us. In other words, God is fair by being uncompromisingly indiscriminate.
The criteria that govern the distribution of the rain are the same criteria by which God determines what circumstances land in our lives. The determining factor is not our personal piety, but God’s boundless, impartial love. As we consider some of the unwanted things that have found their way into our lives, the surprising twist is that it was God’s indiscriminate love, not His judgment, displeasure or indifference, that placed them there!
People of faith often suggest that there are no accidents in life. Actually, there are, but according to this passage of Scripture, they’re all on purpose! Through an arbitrary distribution of life’s circumstances, God is fair while simultaneously demonstrating the indiscriminate nature of His love for all humanity.
The Beauty in Brokenness
Consider a majestic stained-glass window adorning an ancient cathedral. From a distance, its vibrant colors and intricate designs captivate the eye, but upon closer inspection, one notices the fractures and imperfections marring its surface. Yet, it's these very flaws that allow light to dance through the glass, casting a kaleidoscope of colors onto the walls and floor below.
Similarly, our lives are akin to stained glass, beautiful yet fragile, marked by the cracks and breaks of adversity and pain. And just as the light shines through the brokenness of the stained glass, illuminating its hidden beauty, so too can God's grace illuminate our broken lives.
In our journey through our trials and tribulations, we are confronted with moments of shattered dreams, broken relationships, and profound loss. Yet, it is precisely in these moments of brokenness that we have the opportunity to experience God's transformative power and love.
By surrendering our brokenness to Him, we open ourselves to the possibility of redemption and renewal. Like the master artisan who painstakingly restores the fractured pieces of a stained-glass window, God works in our lives to mend our brokenness, infusing each shard with His grace and love.
As we allow Him to work within us, we discover that our brokenness is not a sign of weakness, but a testament to His redeeming grace as our brokenness becomes a source of strength, drawing us closer to His divine love.
"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay [or, cracked and chipped stained glass windows!] to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us" (2 Corinthians 4:6-7, ESV).