Grace Giver
Grace Giver
I have been overwhelmed by the truth that my whole life is lived by the grace given to me by God. Every breath that I breathe, every gift supplied to me, every strength to accomplish anything, and every person brought into my day are graces given by God. What I have been meditating on lately is the question of if I am being a conduit of that grace to other people? Two verses have been mulling around in my head:
“Let no corrupt talk come out of your mouth, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Eph 4:30
“As each has received a gift, (a grace!) use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” I Peter 4:10
Each day, in each interaction with others, “How am I giving the grace that God has given me and pouring it into the lives of others?” When I speak to them, “Am I listening intently so that I am able to speak words that build them up and thus ministers grace to them?” “Am I aware, each day, of the spiritual gifts that God has given me to use in the body of Christ”? “Do I actively observe, listen, and get involved in others lives for the express purpose of giving those gifts to others?” It truly has been a humbling mediation as I realize how much of my day is used for things for myself. Each day God is pouring his blessings into my life each day, sustaining and providing for me, and I suck those gifts up and mostly keep them to myself. He seeks, each day, new ways to show me mercy and grace and I keep my eyes so inwardly focused. While it is good to keep your nose to the grindstone and persevere in faithfulness, our eyes also should be looking outward as we seek to bear fruit from the blessings he gives us.
Certainly the pressures and stresses of life turn our eyes inward. Being sick keeps us inwardly focused. My wife and I are in transition and it seems to take much of our focus. Issues of the heart often distract our eyes from others and point them to our own pain. But we must work hard to keep our lives ready to be givers of grace to others. We must see the blessings of God given to us each day and then truly see others as people whom God desires for us to give grace.
One hindrance to giving grace that I have been focusing on is, “How much do rules keep me from giving grace?” Doesn’t the very definition of grace supersede the idea of rules? So many rules run through my head when I believe the Spirit desires for me to be a giver of great grace. Rules such as, “Doesn’t the Bible say that to eat you must work?” “Won’t your kindness give permission for them to act even worse?” “They made their bed, now they need to lie in it”. “Didn’t Paul rebuke those who gave and then created a need in their life...or did he praise them for it”? I am finding that God motivated, abundant, grace giving often breaks what we believe are common sense rules. I am not advocating to be foolish but even as I write that I wonder of that is one of the rules that grace should break? Maybe in giving grace it is ok to be what we consider foolish?
Be a giver of grace today. Not a giver of what is easy but a giver of true grace. Grace that costs you something. Grace that is according to the blessings God has given you today. Notice, “according to” not “out of”. Have you been the recipient of truly amazing grace today? Then pass on amazing grace.
I have been overwhelmed by the truth that my whole life is lived by the grace given to me by God. Every breath that I breathe, every gift supplied to me, every strength to accomplish anything, and every person brought into my day are graces given by God. What I have been meditating on lately is the question of if I am being a conduit of that grace to other people? Two verses have been mulling around in my head:
“Let no corrupt talk come out of your mouth, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Eph 4:30
“As each has received a gift, (a grace!) use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” I Peter 4:10
Each day, in each interaction with others, “How am I giving the grace that God has given me and pouring it into the lives of others?” When I speak to them, “Am I listening intently so that I am able to speak words that build them up and thus ministers grace to them?” “Am I aware, each day, of the spiritual gifts that God has given me to use in the body of Christ”? “Do I actively observe, listen, and get involved in others lives for the express purpose of giving those gifts to others?” It truly has been a humbling mediation as I realize how much of my day is used for things for myself. Each day God is pouring his blessings into my life each day, sustaining and providing for me, and I suck those gifts up and mostly keep them to myself. He seeks, each day, new ways to show me mercy and grace and I keep my eyes so inwardly focused. While it is good to keep your nose to the grindstone and persevere in faithfulness, our eyes also should be looking outward as we seek to bear fruit from the blessings he gives us.
Certainly the pressures and stresses of life turn our eyes inward. Being sick keeps us inwardly focused. My wife and I are in transition and it seems to take much of our focus. Issues of the heart often distract our eyes from others and point them to our own pain. But we must work hard to keep our lives ready to be givers of grace to others. We must see the blessings of God given to us each day and then truly see others as people whom God desires for us to give grace.
One hindrance to giving grace that I have been focusing on is, “How much do rules keep me from giving grace?” Doesn’t the very definition of grace supersede the idea of rules? So many rules run through my head when I believe the Spirit desires for me to be a giver of great grace. Rules such as, “Doesn’t the Bible say that to eat you must work?” “Won’t your kindness give permission for them to act even worse?” “They made their bed, now they need to lie in it”. “Didn’t Paul rebuke those who gave and then created a need in their life...or did he praise them for it”? I am finding that God motivated, abundant, grace giving often breaks what we believe are common sense rules. I am not advocating to be foolish but even as I write that I wonder of that is one of the rules that grace should break? Maybe in giving grace it is ok to be what we consider foolish?
Be a giver of grace today. Not a giver of what is easy but a giver of true grace. Grace that costs you something. Grace that is according to the blessings God has given you today. Notice, “according to” not “out of”. Have you been the recipient of truly amazing grace today? Then pass on amazing grace.
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