Over the past few months I have been praying to God to equip me to extend grace to others, and most especially, toward someone in my own family. We have been going through a difficult season with her which hopefully will only be temporary, but I have wanted to be able to show grace, mercy and love to her.
Many of us have been taught that the concept of grace is unmerited favor from God. The word grace is often translated in the New Testament from the Greek word “charis“. Strong’s concordance helps us to understand that “charis” refers to “God freely extending Himself (His favor, grace), reaching (inclining) to people because He is disposed to bless (be near) them.”, hence the concept of unmerited or undeserved favor. When understanding grace, it may be helpful to also understand the concepts of justice and mercy. Justice is the idea of getting what we deserve, payment or consequences for actions we have committed. Mercy is the concept of not getting what we deserve or the withholding of punishment for actions we have taken. Grace is getting what we do not deserve, or could never deserve. It is unmerited favor and help from God. Grace is God reaching down to us, grace is not a reward for good behaviour, but should be the motivation to help drive good behaviour.
The Bible teaches us the following concepts about grace:
- Grace is totally free for us, but costly to God. “Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins” (Romans 3:24). God’s grace to us is free. However, there was a significant cost to God. It required the death of His Beloved Son on the cross.
- Grace is sufficient, or all we need. “Each time He said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Paul was afflicted with a “thorn in the flesh” and had asked God to relieve him of it. Christ responds by telling him that His grace is sufficient to allow him to endure it. Not only does God’s grace provide for our salvation, it also sustains us and allows us to endure the situations we will face in this life.
- Grace is transformative. “For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God” (Titus 2:11-12). The grace of God brings salvation and helps us turn from godless living and sinful pleasures.
- Grace is abundant. We are told in 2 Corinthians 9:8, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” Grace is not just barely enough, God’s grace is able to overflow in our lives allowing us to do great works for Him and His kingdom.
If we have received God’s grace the Bible teaches us that we are to be conduits of grace. Extending grace to others should be a direct response to the grace that has been given to us. Some of the ways that we can do that include:
- Being willing to forgive others, even if they don’t deserve it. We were shown forgiveness when we didn’t deserve it ( Ephesians 4:32).
- Speaking graciously to others. Our words need to be kind, helpful and uplifting. See Colossians 4:6 and Ephesians 4:29.
- Reacting to others with grace. Current culture encourages an “eye for an eye”, while grace responds with ‘good, instead of evil’. In the sermon on the mount Jesus used expressions like, if someone strikes you, turn the other cheek, if someone sues you and takes your shirt, then give them your coat as well (Matthew 5:38-48).
- Demonstrating grace or unmerited favor on others is one way to stop conflicts. Paul teaches us this in Romans 12:14-21 when he says. “Bless those who persecute you, do not repay evil for evil, if your enemy is hungry, feed them, etc.”
Perhaps the hardest lesson about grace I have learned over the last few months is, that grace will not always be accepted.
I have felt both sad and hurt when my grace has been rejected. But, that doesn’t mean I should stop being gracious. That is how it is with God’s grace. It is available to all, yet frequently rejected. In Matthew 23:37, It was heartbreaking to Jesus, when God’s offer of grace was rejected. His lamented the nation’s capital, saying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!”
If we are to show grace like God does then we need to remember that showing grace is less about the response of the recipient and more about the heart of the giver. It can be very painful to have the “unmerited favor” on our part, rejected or ignored…and especially by a loved one. Yet God calls us to extend grace without attaching conditions.
As we saw in Matthew 23:37, when God’s offer of grace was rejected – Jesus wept. When our grace is rejected we may be tempted to stop reaching out or to revert to – an “eye for an eye”. I know when I feel this way I must rely on God’s promise, that His grace is sufficient. By continuing to choose words that are kind and actions that mirror the generosity of God, we reflect the costly, transformative love that first reached down to us when we had nothing to offer in return. In both good times and in bad, let’s stay motivated by the fact that God has been gracious to us and forgiven us when we least deserved it. And may we answer the call to extend God’s grace to others in love, for He first loved us.
Owen Sound, ON