Contingency has been out for seven weeks now and as folks read and begin to leave reviews, I am greatly encouraged by how often the characters are mentioned. Bobbi and Chuck are very close to my heart and I'm thrilled when others connect with them.
My goal with Bobbi and Chuck (and the other characters, too) was to develop real, genuine characters who are not perfect, but who wrestle with reacting on instinct or according to God's principles. This is no easy task. For Bobbi, divorce is a very real, very reasonable option, but God challenges her to go beyond that to forgiveness and reconciliation. For Chuck, there is a great temptation to give up- the sin was too great, the price is too high, redemption is too hard. But God nudges him along in the process, step by painful step.
These ideas can be traced to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:46-48, He says, "If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." (NLT)
As Your Father in heaven is perfect…