Atonement for All of Us

I'm a little fuzzy on atonement.  Or Atonement.

And maybe that's it.  I'm unsure of the relationship between atonement- making amends for our wrongs, missteps, and sins- and Atonement-what Jesus did for us and in fact the whole world.

Jesus came to take on the wrongs, missteps, and sins of the world.

But we still are expected to atone for our wrong doing- confession, asking for forgiveness, and reparations.  In the court room and around the kitchen table.

But are we, as a part of our journey toward Christlike-ness asked to make up for, or own up to, the wrongs, missteps, and sins of others?

Some people say we do that for our children and for those closest to us.

But how about the world.  Did God so love the world that he sent me?

If so, how might I live that out:

• Giving money to the homeless guy instead of offering to buy him some food and watching him eat the food.
• Taking the blame for a committee chair screw up at the staff meeting. (Not because taking the blame and giving the credit is good "leadership", but because I am atoning Jesus style.
• Allowing someone who has a physical disability on the mission team even though you won't be able to accomplish as much because you will spend so much time helping them.
• Volunteer time to a cause that you don't believe in.
• Letting someone explain something to you that you frankly understand better than they do.
• Not explaining about how right you are about a decision that the group makes without your blessing.
• Letting someone espouse a theological understanding that is wrong.
• Listening to someone (like your wife maybe) share their frustrations without trying to fix them (not because you are reading Men are from Venus, Women are from Mars, but because you are atoning.
• Allowing someone to say Happy Holidays without having to remind them about the reason for the season (especially if the reason for the season is to call us to atonement).

Just a few ideas.  Maybe there are others. 

We learned in Disciple that Atonement can be explained at At-One-Ment with God.  Does taking on the wrongs of others draw you closer to God?