By Grace

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12


Grace is an amazing thing. It comforts us, protect us, provides for us and certainly enables us. Just a few days ago I was given an opportunity to walk in grace, to offer grace to another person. My flesh wanted to scream! I wanted to rail against a clear injustice. See, the other person is wrong. That person is hurting not just me but many other people I love. Sadly, it's her choice to do that. The circumstances are such that all the power in the situation are in her hands.

There it was, an obvious offense, an affront and my humanity reared up ready for the fight but before I could throw the first verbal punch the Holy Spirit intervened. I spoke the truth in love. There was no sugar coating. I said what I needed to say but I said it in kindness, leaving room for future conversations and hope for moving past the hurt into a more loving place.

Note my use of the word I. I spoke the truth in love, I gave grace, I left room. Technically that is true. It was my voice but the words were gifts as was the tone of those words. God in His immense mercy and wisdom allowed me to live out one of my favorite verses, “Do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8. My heart was bleeding in my chest. I felt hurt, betrayed and sad but my words and actions were covered by the Comforter. When it was all said and done I didn't have to add guilt to my list of negative emotions.

The three days between that conversation and this morning have been difficult. I cannot share this with anyone. Oh, I could but that would color the hearers' perceptions of the other person and that's not right. Sharing this just causes more hurt and I don't want that. So, I walk alone but not alone and maybe not even walking as the presence of the Holy Spirit is carrying me through. It's been a mixed bag of feeling so close to God and so grateful that His grace for me, allowed me to be gracious while feeling the sting of the incident.

This morning my Abba added another layer of blessing to this event. I realized that I have given the person who offended me a gift that I have wanted for years from someone else. I will never receive that gift but that's okay because now I have something so very much better. I can see God moving in me through this. I've been able to live our Matthew 7:12 and Micah 6:8. The thrill of obedient behavior is running through me and it is so great! In this I've learned so much about grace, obedience and justice. I am reminded of Joseph and his brothers. But Joseph said to them, “Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good...” Genesis 50:19-20a

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Applause, Applause and Protection

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, Hebrews 12:1 Reading some Scripture this morning I was reminded of a message that I watched from Louie Giglio. In it Louie described a child of God leaving her home for the day. He goes on about how the heavenly beings see it. With great excitement, he tells of the joy and applause going on in heaven as the woman gets in the elevator, gets to the parking lot and gets in her car. It’s hilarious and over the top, (remember I did say it was Louie Giglio!) but there’s a great lesson in it. My husband and I were watching a TV show about a fictional former president. At one point the poor man is just over the Secret Service detail. He’s tired of them following him around so he fires them. It takes less than five minutes for him to start to see all that they’ve been doing for...
Read more

My Father Saw That

She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me, “for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Genesis 16:13 There’s a movie from several years ago that I absolutely love! It’s called “The American President.” The premise is that the president, who is a widower, has begun to date. He’s dating a lovely woman while running for reelection. His opponent is awful. He knows he doesn’t have much of a chance against the popular incumbent so he tries to make a mountain out of the molehill of the standing president’s romance. At one point there is a news clip that shows the woman in a protest during her college days. After the clip plays the opponent refers to the president’s lady friend as “the president’s whore.” She groans and says to the president “My father saw that!” She is devastated, not because what is being said is true but because her father, who she loves and respects, saw the clip and heard those words spoken about her. I thought of ...
Read more

Not Really god, where are you?

Then they called on the name of Baal from morning to noon.”Baal answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said, “Surely he is a god! Perhaps his is deep in thought, or busy or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” 1 Kings 18:26b-27 Those who know me would be quick to tell you that I am a bit sarcastic. It’s a quality that I have passed on to my children and even some of my grandchildren. Some days I feel a little guilty. Is that really a quality that God wants to see in me? Certainly that cannot be my go to attitude but there are times that it comes in quite nicely. This morning, reading a totally unrelated verse, I was reminded of this account in the first book of Kings. (It begins at verse 16 and continues to the end of the chapter. I highly recommend reading it if you haven’t and it if you have reread it. It’s great!) In this p...
Read more