There are lots of things I used to believe as a child that I no longer believe. I used to believe that if I swallowed a fruit seed, a tree would grow inside of me (or an orchard!). I also thought that if I kept making a particular facial expression (sticking my tongue out), my face would freeze that way. My brother told me so. And, of course, if I got a new pair of shoes, I was sure I could run faster. Maybe I still believe that one. But, seriously, children are not the only ones who believe in things that aren’t true. As adults, we may have an understanding that is a bit more accurate, but we might be enough degrees off to end up with a wrong conclusion. For example, our understanding of God’s grace through Jesus can be faulty at times and can lead us to behave in ways that are, to put it bluntly, un-Christian.

God’s grace is unconditional, unmerited, undeserved favor and kindness. God chooses to forgive us, even though we all fall short of his glory and goodness (Romans 3:23).

If we think that grace is limited, we reduce the scope of God’s love. His love is unending, and He makes us agents of his grace (Acts 20:24). If we think that grace is about us, we will try, unsuccessfully, to earn it (Romans 5:17). If we believe that grace is not enough, we will burn out trying to save ourselves (2 Corinthians 2:9). If we assume that grace is powerless, we fail to live in our Christian identity (1 Corinthians 1:10).

Today, let us embrace God’s grace as a gift, ALL OF IT. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it, grace is costly. Let us not cheapen it by making it less. Instead, let us ask the Lord to help us embrace more of it and therefore be willing to offer it to others too.

“Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13 CSB

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