Becoming Grace

I was about to turn onto the main road near my house, but quickly approaching was a small silver car. I stopped and waited for the car to pass in front of me, but instead this car quickly turned off the road not using her turn signal.

I don’t have patience with this. Drivers who aren’t courteous are a big pet peeve of mine. Turn signals, headlights, slow lanes. These were made to be used.

Stupid silver car.

Moments later I was pulling out of the post office. And guess what?

I forgot to use my turn signal and totally inconvenienced an oncoming car.

Maybe this is just a small example, but how often do scenarios like this play out in my life?

I have zero patience for others when they mess up, but expect kindness and understanding and consideration be extended to me when I do.

I think I’m grace-spoiled. God is such a giver. He has bought my freedom through His Son, Jesus. He is a patient Father who disciplines me with love. I know that He still loves me when I fail Him.

Psalm 103:8 says that The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

But I forget. I don't forget that I've been given grace.

What I forget is that others deserve my grace.

What if I extended forgiveness and love to others in the same way it’s been given to me?

Maybe I will find a gentler, kinder version of myself. Maybe I will find a more free, less stressed face in the mirror.

Ephesians 2:8 reminds us, “ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

Y’all, I need God’s grace. God’s grace is the base of every good thing in my life. It is the hub from which all other blessings flow.

Verse 10 goes on to say this: “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

What if I was bought by grace to become grace itself?

Grace bought me. Grace saved me. Grace gives good things to me. I should be giving it away.

My favorite hymn reminds me: Oh, to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be.

Since I’ve been given grace in such abundance it is only right that I give it.

So maybe the next time I’m so eager to place blame on someone for a mistake, I should instead place grace.

Today I will try. I will try to show myself as God’s handiwork. I will look like someone who is compassionate and gracious. Someone who is slow to anger. Someone who is abounding in love.

I’ll look a little less grace-spoiled.

I’ll look a little more grace-full.