This morning, my son called me frantically in a genuine 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. That is what prompted this post about God’s grace in the bible.
Oh yeah, before I did, I gave him a well-crafted “mother” lecture on the importance of keeping track of essential items. I lectured and lectured until I heard a 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 looked around the house.
As I pulled the cushions from the living room sofa, I saw a debit card I had 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.
Table of Contents
God’s grace in our own lives
Here they are…talking to me.
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 where you couldn’t quite control yourself at once – show grace.
The next time you get the shopping ‘bug’ and run to the store, remember that the 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.
Three examples of God’s Grace in the Bible
There are literally countless examples of God’s grace written in the Bible. I’ll give you three of the more popular ones.
- Noah and the Ark (Genesis 6-9): In the story of Noah, God chose to save Noah and his family from a worldwide flood that wiped out all other living creatures due to humanity’s wickedness. God showed His grace by instructing Noah to build an ark and providing him and his family a means of escape and survival, demonstrating His mercy and willingness to offer a fresh start.
- The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32): In the parable of the Prodigal Son, Jesus illustrates God’s grace through the forgiving father who welcomes back his wayward son with open arms, despite the son’s squandering of his inheritance and sinful behavior. This story beautifully portrays God’s unmerited love and forgiveness for those who turn back to Him in repentance.
- Paul’s Conversion (Acts 9): Saul of Tarsus, later known as the Apostle Paul, persecuted early Christians fiercely. However, on the road to Damascus, he encountered a blinding light and heard the voice of Jesus. He was transformed, and God’s grace was evident in his conversion. Paul went on to become a prominent figure in spreading the Gospel, highlighting how God’s grace can change even the most hardened hearts.
These examples from the Bible showcase God’s grace as an unearned, undeserved gift of love, forgiveness, and salvation extended to humanity. But, I could talk about the grace He showed Peter after he denied the Lord.
Or the grace He showed Judas by letting him breathe air even though he knew he was scandalous. Just like in our lives, I could go on and on.
Grace is a gift and one of the most kind characteristics of God. It’s so wild we often forget how much we want grace – when someone else needs some from us.
We should always be gracious as Christians because our words and actions have the potential to impact others in profound ways.
When we choose to respond with grace, we demonstrate the love and kindness that Jesus taught us. I think through our graciousness, we can promote unity, understanding, and reconciliation in a world that often seems divided.
We create an environment where forgiveness and healing can occur by extending grace to others. Graciousness also allows us to show empathy and compassion towards those who may be struggling or facing difficulties.
When we choose to respond with grace (like God’s grace in the Bible), we exemplify the character of Christ and become a shining light in a world that so desperately needs it. So let us strive to be gracious in all that we do, for it is through grace that we reflect the heart of our Savior.
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 hope and pray I’m more gracious next time!
Here are some scriptures about God’s grace in the Bible and the type of grace we should show:
Certainly, here are ten scriptures from the Bible that highlight the concept of God’s grace:
- Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV): “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
- Romans 3:23-24 (NIV): “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
- Titus 2:11 (NIV): “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.”
- 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV): “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
- John 1:16 (NIV): “Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.”
- Romans 5:20 (NIV): “But where sin increased, grace increased all the more.”
- Hebrews 4:16 (NIV): “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
- 1 Peter 5:10 (NIV): “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
- James 4:6 (NIV): “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.'”
- Psalm 103:8 (NIV): “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”
These verses emphasize God’s unmerited favor, mercy, and love extended to humanity, highlighting the central role of His grace in the Christian faith.
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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?