Drawn In By Grace

 

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.  1 Peter 3:9

 

A few weeks ago I had an eye opening conversation with a woman I’ve known for several years, I’ll call her Ann. Ann expressed her displeasure over another woman’s lack of gratitude. She told me how no matter what she does, how often she does it or how much of a sacrifice it is, the woman never thanks her. That conversation was very enlightening. I saw Ann wanting the recognition, expecting the thanks but I also saw that she neglects to give those things to the people who do for her. In that moment I saw a bigger picture. I wondered when or if Ann ever thanks God? She professes to be a Christian but it doesn’t seem to impact her life. I continued chatting with her but honestly only half-listening as my mind traveled a different path.

 A few days after my conversation with Ann I had a very different conversation with another friend. On the surface the two don’t seem to bear much commonality but for me, they do.

My second conversation was with a friend who was upset because she felt that she’d been wronged and she was right, she had. What she failed to see was that her own actions were the catalyst of the wrongdoing. She was hurt by another person’s behavior but neglected to see that her choices had clouded up and rained all over many other people including the one with whom she was angry.

Both of those attitudes bothered me. Thank me. Acknowledge me. Don’t offend me regardless of the fact that I have offended you and caused you to receive insult that is not yours. In both instances I wanted to scream “Look in a mirror!” Why I wondered did those set off such strong reactions in me? In both cases I did what I do. I prayed to ignore my feelings and respond as my Father would have me respond. While I pray that very often I have to admit I fail in it far too much. Thankfully in these instances I relied on God’s grace and stayed quiet and that grace allowed me to see why I reacted as I did.

Jesus Christ, at the very young age of thirty-three years old, hung on a cross and died for me, for my sins. He did nothing wrong, not one single thing, no snide remark, no blatant lies, no murder, no lust and on and on and on. He didn’t indulge in a single ugly behavior but he suffered unspeakable torture and died because we do indulge over and over again. My friend may see herself as an innocent victim and she may be but it’s nothing compared to Jesus’ innocence. Which brought me to the gratitude thing. Ann wants thanks for every miniscule act but when does she thank or praise God? She doesn’t. In fact she minimizes Him. She sees herself as the giver in all things and does not see that without God’s grace she’d have nothing to give.

My aggravation with both friends quickly turned to gratitude. How often do I cast myself in the put upon role? Or think someone “owes” me a thank you? Bigger question. Do I spend everyday living with the knowledge of the sacrifice of Jesus? Does that act fuel my behavior? Do I realize that He was completely innocent but took shame, pain and punishment because I’m guilty? Do I thank Him for every miniscule thing?

We live and move and have our being by God’s grace and God’s grace alone (Acts 17:28) and I am very thankful for the reminders that I received, irritating though they were. It’s just further proof that God can and will use everything in my life to draw me to His side.