G is for Grace

Grace. Favor or good­will; unmer­ited mercy; clemency; pardon.

We all want it given to us. But we’re not so quick to extend it to others, are we?

So what is this grace glue in the quote? I believe it’s a choice to live a life that:

speaks with com­pas­sion with words from the heart.
reveres life and holds it sacred.
extends com­pas­sion and empathy to every other living thing.
accepts the weak­nesses of others and offers strength.
for­gives others knowing that no one is perfect.

It’s only by grace of God’s love for me that I can love others…even those that seem unlov­able.
It’s only by God’s accep­tance of my weak­nesses that I’m able to accept others…even though I may not under­stand their weak­ness.
It’s only by God’s for­give­ness that I’m able to for­give others…even though they’ve severely hurt me or made me mad in some way. Yes, even family members!

Grace is the glue that mends our brokenness…both in rela­tion­ships with our Maker and with each other. Without it we are nothing but resentful, unfor­giving, judg­mental creatures.

A few years ago, our church spon­sored an inde­pen­dent film at a local film fes­tival called Ene­mies of the People.  and was, without a doubt, the most pow­erful tes­ta­ment to living a life of grace I’ve ever seen. Please read it HERE.

It’s the Chris­tian season of Lent, the 40 days before we cel­e­brate the most famous dis­play of grace ever seen in this world—Easter. After all, no matter what degree of bad­ness, we’re all sin­ners before a holy, per­fect God. But it’s through His grace and mercy that all our rela­tion­ships can be repaired and restored.

Do you *get* grace?

Sub­mitted for ABC Wednesday

you may also like…

• G is for Gabriel
• F is for Forgiveness
• L is for Lent
• Ene­mies of the People
• Q is for Quiet