Grace, part II

Peggy B.

My husband, Wayne has been challenging me lately about what extending grace to others might look like. When I looked up “grace” in the Bible concordance, I found many references that had to do with blessing other people with God’s grace. So I’ve been thinking lately about how I might show grace to those around me.

I confess I am learning that I don’t naturally do a good job with this grace thing! It seems like I do OK extending God’s grace as long as the people around me do things like I would (I certainly would NEVER …), or like I think they should (can you believe that she said that to her?), but haven’t we been learning that God’s grace comes to us just where we are, just how we are? Doesn’t God just love us to Himself?

Romans 1:7

to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 16:20

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

1 Corinthian 1:3

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthian 16:23

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.

So, my Grace thought for today is that I want to extend grace to those around me. I desire for my words to be kind, but more than that, for the attitude inside my heart to be “graceful”. Maybe the checker at the grocery store who ignores me or snaps at me just found out that she has cancer. Maybe the guy who cuts me off in traffic (I certainly would never do that…) is distracted because he has a troubled teenager at home. Do you get the idea?

Lord, thank you so much for showing me that my heart isn’t always gracious. Please let me see your grace to me as I walk through my days, and let me see opportunities to extend that grace to those around me. Amen.