The Gift of Grace

   You know the type of people I appreciate?  Those who extend grace to me.  This subject of grace has been on my mind a lot lately.  I'm not sure why, but as I mature (Oh, brother I sound old), I'm realizing anew my intense need for grace.

   About 2,000 years ago, give or take a few years, there was a young, single, engaged woman who was found to be expecting a baby.  Mary had this wild tale, something about an angel appearing to her and the Holy Spirit moving upon her, and this was the reason for her sudden pregnancy.... Like I said, "wild".

   Her fiance was devastated.  He wasn't quite sure what to do.  He didn't really want to see her killed, which was the punishment for this type of indiscretion, but he also couldn't honestly claim the child as his own because it wasn't.  What's a guy to do?  I'm sure that he wrestled with the question for a few days, but he finally decided to grant Mary grace.  He let her off the hook.  He decided to divorce her quietly so as not to make a spectacle of her and instead allow her to live.  Soon after, Joseph had a wild tale of his own!  Something about an angel visiting him and telling him that Mary's child was actually the Savior of the world!  Wild!

    A part of grace is mercy.  It's when you know that something is suspicious, but you choose to realize that there are unknown factors in every story.  It's backing up and taking yourself off of jury duty.  

   Do you suppose that after Joseph claimed Mary and her unborn child, do you suppose that his reputation was still spotless?  How did the people in the village treat him and his new wife Mary?  Because now Joseph was, in a sense, admitting that he took part in fornication.  Were there dirty looks?  Did they begin to ignore Joseph?  Did they avoid Mary and cut off their friendships with her?  Did Joseph's business suffer?

    A story of epic proportions was taking place right before the villagers' eyes, but they were blinded by their own judgment.  They had no grace to give.  I wonder what blessings they missed out on because of their judgment?

   I have this friend.  Remember Patty?  She's the one who turned her pooch into an ice cube a few years ago.  You can read about that here.  Anyway, Patty is really good at extending grace to people.  Life has taught her that people are hurting enough as it is without someone kicking them when they're down.  She's been there.  She knows first hand just how rough life can be.  She has been a huge blessing to me the last 2 years.  When I was touting ideas that were judgmental and just plain wrong, she would challenge them and gently turn me toward the truth.  She then waited patiently for the Holy Spirit to work in me.  Maybe that's another indicator of a grace filled person.  One who is able to step back and allow the Holy Spirit to do what He does best in His own time and way.  He's always so gentle and kind... unless you're a hard head who refuses to acknowledge truth.  Then, watch out because you could be in for a miserable ride to the end of your resources.  Not fun.  

   Let's talk some more about the people in Joseph's village for a bit.  By all appearances Mary and Joseph were deep into sin.  It looked bad.  Really bad.  And yet, God was in it.  Everything was above board and legit.  But the whole situation appeared to be dirty.  Do we dare blame the villagers for their disapproval and disdain?  I probably would have drawn the same conclusion and I would have been just as wrong as they were.  

   Sometimes I have this way of thinking that I am just sure is Biblical and God approved.  I've even studied my subject out in the Bible and I'm positive that my stance is correct.  The truth is, that I've left out the enlightenment that only the Holy Spirit can bring. I look around and see people who do not think as I do, and I begin to feel superior.  After all, I'm an authority on my subject because I spent time doing research.  Then I get aggravated because if they really wanted to know more about God, they could do a little research on their own for crying out loud!  This way of thinking goes another step "up" and I begin to look down my nose at the ignorant masses then I begin to treat them as such.  I have just given in to the spirit of pride.  Pride is deadly.  

   Other people's judgment and pride probably made life hard for Mary and Joseph even though they were innocent.  Pride also sent many Pharisees and Sadducee's to hell.  They couldn't see the truth that was flesh and blood before them.  Did I mention that pride is deadly?   

   Anyway, I've been learning about the path of grace.  Do you know how freeing it is to let people off the hook?  It's such a burden lifted off of me to not feel the need to judge someone or constantly point out their sin to them, like I'm on some ultra holy (but misguided) mission to bring everyone I see to Christ.  I don't feel like I have to be on my guard so that I don't say something that might "encourage" them in their sin.  I can relax, act normally and let God do His work.  Maybe I'll be His mouth piece and maybe I'll just have to wait.  He'll let me know my cue.  It's great to be off of my self constructed pedestal and realize that I am not superior in any way.  The way of superiority ruins friendships, hurts both sides, and ends in loneliness and death.  Trust me, I've tried that way, I know.

   The way of grace is not condoning sin.  It's looking past someones sin, seeing their God given potential, choosing to love, and showing them the character of God.  It's living out mercy right before their eyes.  It's diving into their lives and building a foundation of trust but not becoming their Holy Spirit.  It's allowing them to see my struggles and Who I run to for help in the battle.  It's being real and not offering trite advice.  And it's all done with a pure heart that has no private agenda and does not desire earthly recognition or reward.  It's being like Jesus.  

    God has called different people to do some pretty strange things that on the surface appear to be sinful, but He always turns things around at the last minute and makes good come from shady looking situations.  (Think Abraham & Isaac, Ruth & Boaz)  That's just the nature of God I guess.  That's what God has been teaching me lately.  I've had to repent and I've been broken by my sin in the areas of pride and judgment.  People that I formerly shrugged off and dismissed, I now see in a totally different light.  I shudder to think that I might have added to their pain.  Oh, God grant me mercy!  Grant me grace filled thinking so that I can extend to others the mercy that You've given me.