A while back I had heard the acronym for grace to be "Gods Riches At Christ's Expense." Or another is unmerited favor. What exactly does that mean on a human level, to be able to respond with grace to someone or to show grace to someone?
First of all let's define grace. It can be the capacity to forgive people. To truly accept those people who anger you or turn you off. To respond like Jesus would respond. To be ugly to someone is not responding with grace. I can think of the example of someone calling all homosexuals 'queers' which is a hateful response, or a worse word, I won't say, without stopping to understand how they got there or how to help them out of their sin.
The Bible says "we all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory" (Romans 3:23) and in 1 Corinthians 6:11 it says in part in referring to those in sin of any kind, "and such were some of you." So to respond in grace would be with kindness,compassion, understanding and the love of God. The Bible says "kindness leads to repentance" ( Romans 2:4). Calling a girl having babies continually out of wedlock a derogatory term is not pleasing to God. Showing love and grace is what will help. That is not our human nature but God's supernatural power within us which allows us to not judge and condemn others.
To be ugly to someone or talk behind their back over a particular sin we do not understand is not being Christ like. The Lord has compassion on all his creatures. Another incident would be to ridicule a person we see on the TV news who looks Iike some lunatic and say nasty things about them or what they did. Those in prison ministry have a heart to understand these individuals better but mental illness is a strange thing and these folks who suffer need love too. That does not mean I am saying what they did was right as it was not. We have to have grace to understand and love despite the crime committed. These criminals may suffer from a terrible mental disorder. It is so easy to judge. When one finger points to the person 3 more fingers point back at you. Think about it .
What would grace have us to do? “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” ~ Colossians 3:17 That about sums it up.
PRAYER: Help me Lord to be kind to all people. I may not approve of the sin but help me show your love to those caught up in sin. Even when people sin intentionally help me to keep on praying for them to come to the knowledge of the truth and ask you into their hearts. Heal the broken hearted and set the captive free. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Thanks, Becky. When I saw the Arizona shooter, I felt justified not responding in grace. But you're right. We need to be praying for him, his heart-broken family, as well as for the victims. We are to respond always with the grace shown to us!
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