What is grace?
Well, the definition is (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grace):
1
- a : unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification
- b : a virtue coming from God
- c : a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine assistance
2
- a : APPROVAL, FAVOR
- b archaic : MERCY, PARDON
- c : a special favor : PRIVILEGE
- d : disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency
- e : a temporary exemption : REPRIEVE
3
- a : a charming or attractive trait or characteristic
- b : a pleasing appearance or effect : CHARM
- c : ease and suppleness of movement or bearing
4 used as a title of address or reference for a duke, a duchess, or an archbishop
5 a short prayer at a meal asking a blessing or giving thanks
6 Graces plural : three sister goddesses in Greek mythology who are the givers of charm and beauty
7 a musical trill, turn, or appoggiatura
8
- a : sense of propriety or right
- b : the quality or state of being considerate or thoughtful
graced; gracing
1 to confer dignity or honor on
As you can see here there are a lot of definitions. And I have no issues with any of them. But I would like to focus on 1a (Sort-of). Grace is getting what we don’t deserve. I have grace on my kids when they do something wrong and I choose not to punish them. I have grace on my wife when she wrongs me and I choose not to retaliate. I have grace on anyone when I choose not to return evil for evil. That is grace. Some might think that is just being a good person, but really it isn’t what one would expect from a human being. As humans we tend to watch out for ourselves first and foremost and then to hell with others. That is natural selection after all. Natural selection and grace don’t seem to go well together in my opinion. Grace wants me to watch out for others. The world doesn’t want that.
So, why do I show grace to others? I do it because I am emulating God when I do. I have learned through years of reading the Bible, going to church, listening to church leaders, and watching my parents and grandparents that grace is a better way to live. Grace allows for people to love and learn rather than feel battered and learn out of fear or requirement. One semester I tried a grace experiment in one of my school classes. For their “final exam” I handed them out upside down. When they turned them over they found that the exam had their name on it already filled in, and the exam was completed for them by me. So, they all earned 100% on it. And on the last page I let them know that I was showing them a form of grace. There wasn’t anything else to it. A few of them were taken by it, and others just were like, “cool, thanks” and left. I liked it, but I haven’t done it since. I have grace in other ways in class at times with student issues and turning in assignments and that is just the way I am.
Grace allows me to teach others the value they have in my life. If I don’t retaliate against them I am showing them that they mean more to me then my own self means to me. I want them to understand that I value them and I can do that with grace. I pray that they can see that sacrifice that I make when I allow grace to flow from me. Now, some might think that I am just being submissive or weak, but I don’t see it that way. I view it as a form of service to others. Again that is an emulation of Christ and His desire to serve humans rather than to be served by humans.
At the same time this isn’t about wanting people to just like me. Sometimes people don’t understand it, and that is fine. I just want people to know that I care about them.
Christ is my perfect example of grace. Christ is God, and He created everything. Then when His creation rebelled against Him He could have written us all off and let us never find Him. But Jesus came to this world. He lived a perfect life for all of us (and by that I mean a life without any sin at all). That perfect life was lived so that He could then sacrifice Himself for all of us. That sacrifice was a painful and shameful death on a Roman cross. He did that for all of us. Then 3 days later He rose from the dead to conquer sin and death for all of us. He then gave that ability for eternal life to anyone that would accept that perfect gift. He is giving it to us, and that is grace. We don’t deserve what He did for us. I know that I certainly don’t deserve it. I am far from perfect, and never will be. I don’t deserve to live a blessed, eternal life in heaven. But God has given us grace. And I am beyond thankful for it. That grace from God has taught me so much. I am far from being perfect at giving grace to others, but I hope that I will get better at it as I grow and learn more from God.