Granting Grace

Life isn't fair.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. - Ephesians 2:8-10

If life was fair, it would favor those who do the right thing, wouldn't it?

In today's reading, we have a troubling statement.  God's grace flows freely to all through faith.  It isn't earned or given as a reward for good behavior.  It just comes, with love.

That is good news for us when we screw up, but what about when we are the victim of violence or hatred?  What about the people who commit crimes or who are just plain nasty?

Should they be given grace too?

It isn't up to us, is it?

But what if it was?

What if God left it up to us to dispense grace on one another as we saw fit?  Would we give it freely to all or would we hold back?

I believe Jesus came to show us how to be filled with grace, and how to offer it to others.

Everyone can be nice to those who are nice to them.  It takes no special gift to return good for good.  But it takes something else to see beyond the pain and anger and bad behavior to the good within, and grant grace to that person.

Sometimes, though, we might just be able to get a glimpse of ourselves in someone else, and see more than they are willing to reveal.  It is then that we might be able to suppress our own egos and judgments long enough to be examples of God's grace.

When we get there, we will be doing the good works that God has prepared beforehand to be a part of our life.

And maybe someone will do the same for us one day.

More to come...