By Eric Whitman, Senior Pastor, Live Oak Church
We love to be recipients of grace. Do something dumb, say something you wish you hadn’t, or act a certain way out of anger or frustration and you feel regret. Yet, when those we offended show us grace we feel gratitude and relief.
Giving grace can be a different matter altogether. If someone accidentally steps on your toe, probably not a big deal. Another driver cuts you off on 2499, it might anger you for a bit, but it likely subsides quickly. If someone breaks your trust or deeply wounds your heart, now it’s an entirely different matter.
The ability to give grace is quite difficult depending on the depth of the wound. We might say we forgive or that it’s not a big deal. However, if we keep replaying the incident in our minds and keep a low-level flame of anger burning within, we haven’t truly given grace. We’re holding it against them. And it comes out every so often.
We say Christ is our example and that He shows us a better way to live, commanding us to walk in His ways. He has all power and glory, but John 1:10 tells us when He came to a world made through Him, not only did they not recognize Him, they also rejected Him, shamed Him, and crucified Him.
Yet, He responded in a most un-king-like manner. Thankfully, He didn’t respond in anger, but instead He gave grace and truth (John 1:17). That those who took hold of it, might step into that grace, experiencing the peace and life He gives.
If He can give grace, let us do so as well.
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