Champion the Grace

One of my favorite books of all time is "What's So Amazing About Grace?" by Philip Yancey. It's a beautiful exploration of the greatness and AMAZEMENT of grace. Yancey calls grace the "last great word."

Grace. The last great word.

My heart has been on a journey this year. A pilgrimage, really. As I have pressed into Jesus during this season, and without going into loads of detail, Jesus has redisplayed one word to me: "grace". Grace is the unwarranted, undeserved favor. Being placed as a prince when you were born a pauper. Being given a kingdom when you deserve condemnation. Being given a right to inheritance, when you deserve death without rights. GRACE. Grace makes the unlovely lovable, makes the unlikable parts likable, the rough parts round, the weak parts strong.

It's the one thing the world can't touch - the world - steeped in covetousness and vindictiveness, where people only get what they deserve, where punishment is swift, where seeing light in dark is impossible - because there is no Christ. And where there is no Jesus - there is no grace. The world is thirsty for God, and his grace - (which are one and the same). It needs forgiveness, kindness, gentleness, charity. It needs grace - now maybe more than ever.

As Christians (little Christs), we bear what our Pioneer bestowed us. Grace. Grace to the underserving, grace to the weak, grace to the hopeless. We get to be the salve to gracelessness, the answer to religiousness, the hope to the condemned. 

Today may you BE GRACE to the world. Forgive the rude cashier. Give grace to the tired super market mother. Give money to the homeless man, regardless of your thoughts about him. Give time to a lost driver. Give kindness. Give laughter. Give grace.

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. - 1 Peter 4:10