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“…and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:24
I told her to bring her bike otherwise she wouldn’t be able to keep up. But she knew better, and decided to walk instead. Twenty minutes later she complained she was tired and was dragging.
Every night my 6 year old and I take a brisk walk — well, I walk, she rides her bike. My 7 year old decided to join us. Regardless of my advice, she thought she knew best, and left her bike in the garage. Once we got a distance from the house, and Chloe (not their real names) was pedaling like crazy, Tessa told me in a whining tone she was bushed. I said, “Honey, you should have listened to me, I knew this was going to happen.”
“I know”, she said softly, with tears forming (she is a very sensitive child).
I called Chloe over, and asked her to please let Tessa ride her bike for a few minutes. Chloe complied, not very graciously and once Tessa was ahead said, “She should have listened to you.”
“I know that honey, but we don’t need to harp on it. We need to be kind because she’s tired.” Grace in action.
“I listened to you so I don’t see why Tessa shouldn’t be punished.” Judgment speaking.
“Honey, right now she needs our help, she already knows she should have listened.” Grace speaks.
“I’ve never done that, so why should I share my bike?” Judgment. “I don’t want to help her, she deserves to be tired.”
Sound familiar? “Well, I would never get divorced, have an affair, cheat on my taxes… and they did. Firstly, they deserve to get punished, and secondly, why should I help them?” Such a natural reaction isn’t it? I only hope when Chloe, who’s notoriously hard on her toys, finds her sister, who’s meticulous with her toys, shows a measure of grace when Chloe inevitably breaks one of her prized possessions.
Grace sees the person was disobedient, but then steps in and helps. Grace says, “I know you fell, but here’s a helping hand.” I can certainly reach out to someone else who has fallen on the way. Does it matter that they fell in the gravel, and I never have? I might have fallen in the mud, and they didn’t. The type of sin is not the important thing — it’s the fact that you sinned at all!
God has given us the greatest measure of grace ever. He reached out to a man and a woman who had deliberately disobeyed Him, and told them He would provide a way out, a Saviour. He does the same for us today, and if the God of everything can give me grace, one who is far from perfect, then I can surely display it to others.
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This reminds me of an old saying, Don't point a finger at me, because when you do there are three pointing back at you! May we never forget the grace of God in our lives!
What a great illustration of God's grace. I don't think anything is more harmful to unity in the Body of Christ than a harsh, accusing spirit. YOu captured that so well!
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