Grace

Where would we be without grace? How could we survive without God's favor resting on us? It is because He loves us that He bestows on us that which we do not deserve, cannot earn, and can never repay. Grace is a gift!!! But it is not a gift that stops with the recipient. Grace is closely tied with mercy, kindness and even common courtesy. Grace is to be a part of our lives and a part of our speech. W.H. Auden says "I know nothing except what everyone knows, that when Grace dances, I should dance." Grace, it is more than a popular name for children, more than a big stained glass word, worn like a badge of honor by those who believe. Grace is an attribute, a characteristic consistent with living a godly life, with being like God.
In my life, I have known many gracious people. These folks were always ready with a kind word, encouraging those around them. They were kind and careful with their speech. That alone was impressive. But what was most noticeable was the way they responded to others. When they received gifts that were less than appropriate or even wanted, they responded graciously. When others tried to pay them a compliment and their efforts made the compliment difficult to find, the gracious ones responded with kind and sincere thank yous. When they themselves, were going through a dark time, the grace they received from God, became even more evident in their interactions with others. They were gracious!!!!
Oh, how I want to be like these christians!!! How I want to be the kind of person who is gracious and kind, whether I am anxious, sad, hurt or angry or even just too busy. I know they learned grace from the Father, from the Son and that the Holy Spirit works within them, helping them to be more graceful. I believe they have something special. They have what God has, the ability to look past the words and actions of others and focus on their hearts, on their intents. They can look at two small coins and see a sacrificial heart. They can look at sticky fingers and runny noses and see children with the innocence and trust of Kingdom occupants. They can look at a woman crying and making a scene and see a sincere and penitent heart. When they see hearts instead of flaws, they respond graciously. I am so grateful God sees my heart when my words and actions are flawed and inadequate. I am so grateful He sees me through the eyes of love and hears the words of my heart rather than the inept ramblings of my mouth. I am ever grateful for His grace~~~~without which I would still be lost. And so, my goal for today: begin being one of the gracious. Start seeing through the actions and words of others to the beauty of their hearts. Make my responses to them responses that say, I am a grace giver because I am a grace receiver. Praise God for His amazing grace!!

Neva
Colossians 4:6 "Let your conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt. . . "