Giving grace to those around us is God’s mandate

By Editor | September 16, 2010 |

One day, a 2-year-old boy was just hanging out and having fun at home. Mom and Dad were busy in other places in the house.
Two-year-old Eli found his favorite crayons and got busy on his latest masterpiece. He colored and drew, and then stepped back and looked. I can visualize his satisfaction as he admired his picture – drawn on the wall, neatly arranged and boldly displayed.
Admiration turned to distress in a heartbeat as Dad entered the room. Eli’s picture was noted, and punishment was delivered.
Another day, a different boy found his crayons and started on his latest masterpiece. Shawn drew and concentrated, and thought long and hard. He was proud of the picture he carefully created.
Mom entered the room and was greatly concerned. She looked at her son filled with pride, looked at the crayon drawing on the wall, and took a breath as she explained that drawing on the wall was not the best idea. Dad came home from work, saw the picture Shawn had created, and made the choice to frame it. Dad cut out a frame, nailed it to the wall, and it was Shawn’s picture for all to see.
Grace is a word used as a name, to denote a prayer time before a meal or to identify an action such as God’s forgiving mercy. It also is defined as favor, kindness or friendship. Grace, the multi-use word, is used frequently throughout the Bible to define God’s favor toward the human beings he created.
Like the boys in the opening paragraphs, we can get ourselves into several messes here on earth. Some have great consequences, others have happy endings. Many times, it depends on the people in the drama. God looks upon you and me with favor and kindness, yet he doesn’t always rescue us from our life situations.
Grace, God’s favor toward us, is something we can’t earn. Giving money to the needy, building houses for the homeless or going to church frequently will not earn God’s favor. God cannot be manipulated, yet he gives favor to every person that he created for that very reason – he created us. Grace is free to all; yet it must be received, like any gift.
Ephesians 2:7-9 says: “…in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” The simplicity of this verse is that through grace, plus faith, begins our life with God.
Once we have experienced grace through God, we are to give it away. One of my challenges is to give favor to people by the way I speak with them. Colossians 4:6 tells me this: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Giving grace through speaking to a child is important, because I am teaching that child how to speak, react and respond to real life situations. Wish I would have learned these lessons decades ago. Giving favor to a child, co-worker or family member is not an option, but is a mandate from God. Grace doesn’t mean parents cannot discipline their child, make their case in conversation or stand up for their values. It does mean that we shouldn’t do that at the verbal expense of another person.
So how much grace is there? II Corinthians 9 says: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” God says there is an unlimited supply of grace or favor abounding to you. Yet, grace is not all for you when you get it; it is to be given away.
This unending supply of God’s favor, kindness and friendship is not to be hoarded, but given away as quickly and generously as possible. What grace can you give away today? Here are a few ideas: Give a smile, give a hug, give some food, or don’t be rude by simply changing the way you speak when things go wrong. When faced with a tough choice, choose grace. Give away favor, kindness and friendship as quickly as possible, for you will never run out. That is a promise from God. Remember, God gives grace like a 3-year-old spreads peanut butter on his sandwich (Melissa Deal). You and I can’t out-give God in any area. He lavishly and generously gives us grace to give away!
Eli and Shawn each received a portion of grace the day they drew on the wall. Grace was given differently to each boy. I have found it is easier to talk about grace than to give grace. Sometimes in parenting, grace is a challenge to give. I also find that I don’t always look with favor upon the people God places in my path each day.
The challenge of the week – or the rest of our lives – is to give grace generously and frequently to all we meet…like a 3-year-old spreads peanut butter.