Adapted from books by Shelly Beach: Ambushed By Grace: Help and Hope in the Caregiving Journey, and It Is Well with My Soul.
You've probably faced scenarios like these: a demanding mother throwing a tantrum because you won't stay with her through the night. An ungrateful father dissatisfied with what you and your brother give him. A sister accusing you of not caring enough for Mum.
These are times when you've done everything you could. You've drawn clear boundaries, establishing what you will or will not do, and made clear how you are to be treated and respected. Yet someone insists on breaking the "rules" and behaving unreasonably. What can you do?
The answer: give grace.
Grace is what we received from God when He sent His Son to die for us. Grace is unmerited favour and kindness. It is not being judged by our words or actions. Grace sees past faults and goes beyond the surface of who we are, to whom God intends us to be. Our salvation by grace, says Ephesians 2:8, "is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God".
Many of us, however, tend to hoard grace. Having received grace, we keep it to ourselves. We find it hard to forgive others, like the unforgiving servant in the parable of Matthew 18:21-35. We find it easier to judge others by their failures, forgetting that God has overlooked our own.
But we can be grace givers instead. We can pass on God's gift as faithful stewards of His boundless grace (1 Peter 4:10). We can look beyond people's faults, forgive, bless, and love. We can lay down our rights and serve in humble submission to God, just as Jesus did in humility. We can love others deeply with a love that is able to see beyond "a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8).
We can do all this because we have a secure knowledge of who we are in Christ. We can look to the cross, where the ultimate gift of grace was poured out on all mankind, and tell others, "I know who I am, so I'm empowered to see who God intended you to be, to freely give and to forgive you."
Just as we are reconciled to God by His grace through Christ's death and resurrection, grace will also reconcile us to others. It is a balm of healing on wounds and scars, and it has the power to change lives.
And even when actual reconciliation doesn't take place between people, and the grace offered is not accepted, the giver is still changed by the act.
Indeed, one of the most amazing things about being a conduit of God's grace is that we get something in return: freedom and maturity. We begin to step out of the centre and see others as God sees them. And we begin to live in true freedom - not at the whim of others - independent of their actions, words, and approval.
Freely we have received, freely we give.
Picture posted by Motherhood Life Balance
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https://motherhoodlifebalance.com/web-stories/100-inspirational-and-beautiful-proud-mom-quotes-story/
Love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins . . . use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. - 1 Peter 4:8, 10
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https://i.pinimg.com/originals/76/71/91/76719198c572dfae0a130c0721dcf879.jpg
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/525302744036196600/
You've probably faced scenarios like these: a demanding mother throwing a tantrum because you won't stay with her through the night. An ungrateful father dissatisfied with what you and your brother give him. A sister accusing you of not caring enough for Mum.
These are times when you've done everything you could. You've drawn clear boundaries, establishing what you will or will not do, and made clear how you are to be treated and respected. Yet someone insists on breaking the "rules" and behaving unreasonably. What can you do?
Picture posted by The New York Times Magazine
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfa3aLgjWkaSD-Qsq7O2ht_5rEU3phlr_rGXH8hsi_bpgk70SZw2P5klYinmmJmtGzqeIOmuXDupj_4tIoQh0dfm-Pu1_35ROjR0AfuAVd7WdmoXNrcA-xk7JYFeqrnqOpq6y9Ja3RbGvsFu542n85MW7oui88u42EG9iu8SGiw8g6yiBhKPJ_c3tx/s2048/14mag-ethicist-superJumbo.jpg
https://static01.nyt.com/images/2021/11/14/magazine/14mag-ethicist/14mag-ethicist-superJumbo.jpg
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/09/magazine/difficult-mother-in-law-ethics.html
The answer: give grace.
Grace is what we received from God when He sent His Son to die for us. Grace is unmerited favour and kindness. It is not being judged by our words or actions. Grace sees past faults and goes beyond the surface of who we are, to whom God intends us to be. Our salvation by grace, says Ephesians 2:8, "is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God".
Picture posted by freepik, Adobe Stock
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYKyfyC5LNWWoDAAmSyZGya8XZQvtd-rkU1iOOPLlFlt7E25xW1Xd6p8QB3BbqYsJGHtQO63JnYVpkhfyY5BjtAMj6VakYeaojyEYzxEdvlyHNvxLJXh0G5VFxiUfQueGwhntNRVBh0we--8AqCiYdEryf3W1bPGThNzbP27NVQjrhK2ksZJm3N5R/s3000/feminine-outdoor-field-person-fresh_1098-6973.png
https://img.freepik.com/free-photo/feminine-outdoor-field-person-fresh_1098-6973.jpg?w=2000
https://www.freepik.com/premium-photo/feminine-outdoor-field-person-fresh_1086177.htm
Many of us, however, tend to hoard grace. Having received grace, we keep it to ourselves. We find it hard to forgive others, like the unforgiving servant in the parable of Matthew 18:21-35. We find it easier to judge others by their failures, forgetting that God has overlooked our own.
But we can be grace givers instead. We can pass on God's gift as faithful stewards of His boundless grace (1 Peter 4:10). We can look beyond people's faults, forgive, bless, and love. We can lay down our rights and serve in humble submission to God, just as Jesus did in humility. We can love others deeply with a love that is able to see beyond "a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8).
Picture posted by iStock
https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/beautiful-barefoot-girl-full-of-joy-picture-id171383335?s=2048x2048
https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/beautiful-barefoot-girl-full-of-joy-gm171383335-21123987
We can do all this because we have a secure knowledge of who we are in Christ. We can look to the cross, where the ultimate gift of grace was poured out on all mankind, and tell others, "I know who I am, so I'm empowered to see who God intended you to be, to freely give and to forgive you."
Just as we are reconciled to God by His grace through Christ's death and resurrection, grace will also reconcile us to others. It is a balm of healing on wounds and scars, and it has the power to change lives.
Just as we are reconciled to God by His grace through Christ's death and resurrection, grace will also reconcile us to others. It is a balm of healing on wounds and scars, and it has the power to change lives.
Picture posted by iStock
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEireB0v_gndL-tvLlsh7JqYL7KSa21deU2jiGLT5Hp4cvXg7blJeYHhpCeRCOagGom8DqQ3MOgUVo7LW2qX6RfGJOwGSezhxKbSqK0zFpA2ZGPfKpMgA7PmuSJDTtBv-r3jFf84bIX-0MAXCVQ7UM__T7xsOshroPmigbEooVzir5CJJZbpbWkcEUwe/s2048/istockphoto-171382183-2048x2048_1.png
https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/jump-for-joy-picture-id171382183?s=2048x2048
https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/jump-for-joy-gm171382183-21119074
And even when actual reconciliation doesn't take place between people, and the grace offered is not accepted, the giver is still changed by the act.
Indeed, one of the most amazing things about being a conduit of God's grace is that we get something in return: freedom and maturity. We begin to step out of the centre and see others as God sees them. And we begin to live in true freedom - not at the whim of others - independent of their actions, words, and approval.
Picture posted by freepik, Adobe Stock
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Freely we have received, freely we give.
Picture posted by Himawan H. on Tuesday, 12 May 2020 at 05:13:13
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Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
Picture posted by Lgmt Xu, Artstation - The ancient beauty
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Source (book): "He Walks with Me - Devotions for Your Caregiving Journey with God", PART III "JOURNEYING WITH OTHERS", Chapter 22 "Giving grace", Page 66.
Adapted from books by Shelly Beach: Ambushed By Grace: Help and Hope in the Caregiving Journey, and It Is Well with My Soul.
Other Books (Links)
Reflection - Faithful to the end (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2017/06/reflection-faithful-to-end-links.html
"Finding rest for the soul" Responding to Jesus' Invitation in Matthew 11:28-29, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/10/reflection-finding-rest-for-soul-links.html
"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART I-III, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-i.html
"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-iv.html
"Songs of Christmas", The Stories and Significance of 20 Well-Loved Carols, © 2018 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - Songs of Christmas (Links), posted on Friday, 24 April 2020
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/04/reflection-songs-of-christmas-links.html
"Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, © 2019 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - Growing Old Gracefully, Part I - III (Links), posted on Wednesday, 09 December 2020
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/12/reflection-growing-old-gracefully-part.html
Reflection - Growing Old Gracefully, Part IV - V (Links), posted on Thursday, 22 April 2021
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/12/reflection-growing-old-gracefully-part_9.html
"Teach Us to Number Our Days", © 2008 by David Roper
Reflection - Number Our Days, Chapter 1 - 40 (Links), posted on Tuesday, 16 November 2021
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2021/11/reflection-number-our-days-chapter-1-40.html
Reflection - Number Our Days, Chapter 41 - 64 (Links), posted on Wednesday, 16 March 2022
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2022/03/reflection-number-our-days-chapter-41.html
Links
New International Version (NIV), Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
1 Peter 4:10 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+4%3A10&version=NIV
1 Peter 4:8, 10 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+4%3A8%2C+10&version=NIV
Ephesians 2:8 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+2%3A8&version=NIV
Matthew 11:28-29 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-29&version=NIV
Matthew 18:21-35 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+18%3A21-35&version=NIV
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