This morning my adult son called me in a frantic fit because he couldn’t find his wallet. I rolled my eyes. “Here we go again,” He said he had looked and looked but still couldn’t find it. Completely not thinking about God’s grace in the Bible, I huffed and puffed and immediately began looking for it myself.
Oh yeah, before I did, I gave him a well-crafted “mother” lecture on the importance of keeping track of important items. I lectured and lectured until I heard the heavy sigh on the other end of the phone. I figured I had done my job (making him feel bad), so I hung up and began looking around the house.
As I pulled the cushions from the living room sofa I saw a debit card I LOST LAST YEAR myself! Wow!
My face felt hot with embarrassment.
Christian Woman, have you ever noticed how easy it is to forget your own shortcomings and “lecture” others on theirs? I learned something at that moment.
My lesson today (and maybe yours too) is to remember to show compassion, mercy, and kindness when folks blunder. We forget about God’s grace in the Bible and exhibit our own version of grace – which is usually flawed, biased, and based on all the wrong things.
The truth is we (I) should shuffle out the same grace we would like to receive…especially when we mess up. I’ve got examples of what I’m working on in the area of grace and I’ll tell you.
Here they are…talking to myself.
Don’t get angry at the guy who cuts you off in traffic. I bet you cut someone off before. Be gracious, Christian Lady (me).
Be patient with the lady whose baby is crying so loudly your ears are ringing. I’m sure you’ve been in a situation you couldn’t quite control yourself too at one time – show grace.
The next time you get the shopping ‘bug’ and run to the store, remember, that cashier hates the long line as much as you do. Give her God’s grace in the Bible. Why? Because you’ve felt overwhelmed before too. Give her lots of grace.
Remember, the person who is falling short desperately needs the kind of grace God shows us countless times a day.
Further, I think we should be the first to give it because we are often very guilty of many of the same sins in which we judge. Shame on us…I mean, me.
Lest we forget…
Girl, I think we get spiritual amnesia as we get older. The years may have dulled our memories or we just didn’t get “caught”, but we’ve all done some “dirt” in our life. Check out Max Lucado’s book on grace. It will make ya think.
In my case with my son, I’ve lost my keys a million times myself!
God’s grace in the Bible is never ending.
Esther experienced God’s grace when she was chosen as queen. Check it out:
Esther 2:16-18 The Message (MSG)
16 She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal palace in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of the king’s reign.
17-18 The king fell in love with Esther far more than with any of his other women or any of the other virgins—he was totally smitten by her. He placed a royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti. Then the king gave a great banquet for all his nobles and officials—“Esther’s Banquet.” He proclaimed a holiday for all the provinces and handed out gifts with royal generosity.
Honestly, my husband is a living breathing example of God’s grace in my life. So is all the favor in my life.
Romans 3:23: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
What do you think about those two examples? Esther received grace to live in greatness and the second illustrates how God was gracious toward us. Cool, right?
Think of the 2 of a kind of people as it pertains to God’s grace in the Bible.
As my husband says there are two types of folks – the caught and the uncaught. Often our “uncaughtness” makes us forgetful. Maybe even a little prideful
Either way, grace, and mercy are always the best responses. It is then we look the most like our Savior, Jesus Christ. Plus, if we show grace habitually, we won’t have to eat so much crow (i.e. apologize). Amen?
I owe my boy an apology and I hope and pray next time I’m more gracious!
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Check out some more Christian resources about grace!
Thank you for this post! I needed this reminder before saying something that I’ve been waiting to say. Of course my intentions are good but I’m not sure if it would be received that way. Now that you’ve reflected, what would you have done/said differently on the phone with your son?