Grace
is not an easy word to understand and to live out. I’ve met some ladies
named grace, but that is not what I am talking about. I’ve met many people
who talk about the grace of God and offering people grace, yet their lives seem
to miss what grace really is.
Maybe
the issue or reality of grace is one that eludes us and is hard to find.
The church talks it up, praises God for His grace and spreads the wonders of it
all the time. But do we really live by grace? That is, do we
receive and give grace freely to others that we encounter each day? This
would include people in our home, the workplace, our school and the people we
meet on the street.
It
is hard to be full of grace and give grace when we are full of self. It
is hard to give grace to others when we don’t have grace for ourselves or
forgive ourselves for our own mistakes.
Giving
2nd chances is what grace is all about. When we extend kindness to a
person who doesn’t deserve it, we are living out and sharing the grace that God
shared with us. This cannot and must not be based on some code or some
rules that we follow and ask others to follow. Grace is based on the
example of what Jesus did for us. We don’t and never will deserve His
grace.
The
church as well must step out to share God’s grace with the people we minister
to and the people we serve with. For too long the church has been known
as a place of legalism where we kick to the side those who have messed up
rather than pick people up who fail and help them get back on track.
“The church is most appealing when the message of grace is
most apparent.” Andy Stanley
Those
2 quotes are right on. It takes risk to give and receive grace.
People know when the church and the grace we offer are not authentic. I
challenge us to take a look at the grace we offer. Are there strings
attached? Does this grace look the same as the grace Jesus offers?
Indeed, you already show
your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers
and sisters, we urge you to love them even more.
Don’t
just love people, really love them. Leave no question if we mean what we
say about grace and what we offer. Grace living is a lifestyle chosen by
people who have been overwhelmed by the grace of God. I love to see and
be part of authentic grace living.
NOTE: this
post was first shared in early 2012.
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