• Extending Grace

    By: Kristen L. McNulty

    Reprint rights available on request. Email the author at kristenmcnulty@hotmail.com.

    "So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins." Ephesians 1:6-7 

    We are blessed to be on the receiving end of God's grace, but the question I want us all to ask ourselves is: are others blessed to be on the receiving end of grace we extend? When someone cuts us off in traffic, when someone says the wrong thing, when someone makes a mistake or someone drops the ball. 

    Do we extend grace? Or do we make people grovel? 

    Do we offer forgiveness? Or do we ask them to earn it? 

    Do we choose to not hold it against them? Or do we keep a record of all of their wrongs? 

    The Test Of Our True Character


    It's very easy for us to accept God's love, grace and forgiveness with open hands but then refuse to pass the same love, grace and forgiveness onto someone else when they need it. It's not even something we always do recognize in ourselves, because let's face it, when we think of ourselves most of us think of ourselves as kind, loving, graceful and forgiving people. But the test of our true character isn't what we think about ourselves, the test of our true character is how we act towards others.

    As receivers of God's incredible and amazing grace, we aren't called to hoard it or hold it back. As people whose lives have been saturated by the love of God, our love isn't meant to be reactionary but instead proactive just like His is. Let's listen into the instructions Jesus has given for us all in Luke chapter six, picking up at verse 27 where he said:

    "But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don't try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you." Luke 6:27-31


    Falling Short


    This is a tall order, I get it, which is why we are talking about it now. This devotional is an extension of a conversation I was having with God and an examination of my own life as a result. As I was thanking God in prayer for His incredible grace poured out in my direction, I was challenged on how well was I extending that same kind of grace to others? With some reflection I realized I was falling short and then after being led to Luke chapter 6 and I read the words of Jesus I realized just how short. 

    Later on in the same chapter Jesus said:

    "You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. 'Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.'" Luke 6:36-37


    What Repentence Is


    After seeing the standard we are called to in scripture we are left with a choice: will we convince ourselves that there's some sort of exemption that must excuse us from living out this kind of love, grace and forgiveness? Or will we admit where we've fallen short and make concrete steps towards change? That is repentance: recognizing where we've left the path and then refusing to take another step in the wrong direction.

    Pick up the phone if you need to extend forgiveness. Bless those who have cursed you. Love on those who have made you feel hated. Give grace to everyone who needs it. And extend forgiveness to even those who would never ask for it.

    As people who have had the slate of our sins wiped clean simply because of the unmerited grace, love and favor of God, how could we hold any of it back from those we encounter, friend or foe?

    Closing off to revisiting the verses we started with:

    "So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding." Ephesians 1:6-8


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