Grace is Sufficient for Me

The King James Version of the Holy Bible states in Romans Chapter 5 verses 1-2, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand…” In Galatians Chapter 5 verse 4, “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” The most powerful examples of grace in this context are that God gives grace and it’s made only possible from Jesus Christ and no other. The gift of salvation is attainable to anyone who is willing to walk away from a life of sin. Grace allows unmerited mercy to fall upon the undeserving.

 

Kindness…the friendly weapon

   In the New Testament, grace is translated from the Greek word “charis”, which is pronounced khar’-ece. Strong’s Concordance defines grace as, “the state of kindness and favor towards someone, often with a focus on a benefit given to the object.”  A related Greek word to charis is charisma (gracious gift). Charis and Charisma were originated from another Greek word chairo. Chairo is to rejoice, be glad, delighted.

Grace is a gift. In areas of conflict it’s difficult to extend Grace to someone who isn’t on your side, it’s even more difficult when you are offended. Grace is unearned and un-required kindness. It’s the most powerful actions one can take, the most powerful weapon against conflict.

What better way to dissolve a situation then to use grace? Where can I use it? How do I use it? How about any time and any where? Grace is as easily accessible as your wallet. Pull it out and change your perspective. Is this argument worth winning? What gain will I have here?

Extending grace to someone is letting go of judgments, blame and anger. Letting go of these feelings allow us to step back and see what’s important. Is this relationship worth throwing away just because of this one conflict?

On the other hand we say we forgive, but later remind that person of their mistake, if we forgive why bring it back.

Letting go of offenses is hard, if it was easy we simply would. But we are tainted with a memory that re-occurs, and pain is easily remembered. I recently had a conversation with my wife about an old van we had. We didn’t have kids and bought the vehicle because we were helping a family member get out of debt and we needed the vehicle. I jokingly said how much I missed the van (knowing how much it cost us in repairs and paying it off). My wife quickly said how much she didn’t miss it because of the “many” problems we had.

No mystery machine here!

I thought about it and said how many? She only could list off 5. I laughed and began to share about all the cool trips we took in it all over the west. The places we discovered together and the places I took her for the first time in California.

She soon agreed that the van was ok.

Letting go of pain isn’t impossible. That is where grace allows us to extend forgiveness to anyone we come across. When we become examples of grace we give hope out, to show others that we don’t have to win arguments, we don’t have to be justified, we can be kind and gentle. We can get along without stereotypes, hypocrisies, or judgments.

All of us are capable of wounding each other, we all have. None of us are without blame or fault. Therefore how can we not extend grace? Many times we don’t want to be the first, but I do.

It’s almost a sense of joy to be allowed the first to extend grace. To be able to stand there and allow someone to see what grace can be, what it can look like. To be that example of hope in someone’s eyes is the greatest humanitarian and Christ like action you can take.

It’s always appropriate to extend grace. By forgiving others of their offense allows us to be free of the burden of pain. But by not extending grace we chain ourselves to that event, and we never leave. We are bonded there, and every time we are reminded of that event, that person becomes a part of us. Were haunted by our inability to forgive and re-live the pain we refuse to let go.

Who wants that? To relive and feel that pain associated with an event that hurt so bad. I would rather be filled with joy, happiness and kindness. I want to smile; I don’t want to live in the darkness of depression, resentment or even hate. That is where un-forgiveness will take you.

Manage a conflict by realizing there is no winner. Accepting other’s for whom they are, and not what they are. We are all “sinners.” And none of us are without blame.

References

J.T. Wood, Interpersonal Communication, (2010) Communication and Personal Identity pgs 246-247

Holy Bible, King James Version (2012), Romans 5:1-2, Galatians 5:4

Strong, James (2001), The Strongest Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Zondervan,