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| Two sides of grace |
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I've always tended to think of grace as a one-side proposition. God extends grace (undeserved favor) to us lowly creatures, and once we recognize that grace we at once accept the offer upon truly recognizing our need. Likewise, we extend grace to others in deference to the grace extended to us, and those we extend it to naturally accept. (Who wouldn't??) To me grace was always something to be offered, in response to what God's done for me. But what about the other side of grace? Now that I've received God's grace, am I only to be a giver from here on?
Laura and I have some dear neighbors (a couple in their 80's) whom God has laid on our hearts in a BIG way. We've been given quite a few opportunities to help them out since moving next door to them. They've certainly never offended us in any way, yet God has told Laura and I to extend His grace to them. Undeserved favor... our services, time, tools, friendship, care. Do they find it difficult to accept? Well, they do, because they have always been doers, and in this season of life they're running into physical limitations and are rarely able to reciprocate with service of their own.
And I can identify. Do I find it hard to accept graceful giving from others? Yes!! I'm a doer, I'm striving for the prize! And that striving doesn't include accepting favors along the way. (uh oh, that sounds like pride...) But maybe I should keep in mind that even the marathon runner has people stationed along his route to pass him water from time to time. Here is another way to look at our opportunities to receive grace from others along the way:
4:16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. 4:17 Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account.
Paul actually had his eyes on opportunities for his brethren to reap their own heavenly rewards through service to him! So I too must realize that I may just be called upon to receive some graceful giving from fellow believers, as they seek to be obedient to God's charge and reap their heavenly rewards. Therefore I will seek to be a graceful receiver of grace!
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| To add a comment to "Two sides of grace" |
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| July 22, 2007 |
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Yup. Being the recipient of the grace of others is a humbling thing. Thanks for pointing this out. Star! |
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| July 22, 2007 |
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| Mike, I too am much more comfortable in the giving role. However, simple gifts received, especially sincere compliments or expressions of love, I may tuck away in my heart and treasure for a long time! Your point is a good one. It is much more rewarding to see appreciation in return to any gift or grace extended to another. Thus it is a gift to our givers when we can gracefully accept with appreciation! Grace to you, my friend! |
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| July 22, 2007 |
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| How about receiving a grace star? Totally kidding Bro! Your stars are always deserving! |
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| July 22, 2007 |
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| Soozanne, thanks for mentioning humility. That is an important ingredient that I left out -- Paul obviously had it in receiving so much help from the Philippians! Kathy, thank you so much! I appreciate your point about appreciation! (lol) Sue, I'd gladly take a grace star. In fact, depending on how one looks at it, they could certainly all be viewed as grace stars. In other words, I'm not beneath receiving one of those. :-) Of course, the key is to never actually tell the person they've just received a "grace star". haha (although I did once, but just to make a point) |
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| July 23, 2007 |
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| I think God wants us to be a conduit. He can get it to us if He can get it through us, just like you said in the first paragraph. Now I think it's only logical that if all God's children could learn to give then eventually we'd end up bein the recipient. The problem I see is that very few people go about their lives lookin for opportunities to give back. It's so rare to meet people, even in church, that really understand the concept of giving that our odds of running into such a person are really low. So when we do finally meet someone that wants to give back to us, its a shock and we don't know how to react. Man that sounds purty smart for a redneck (pats self on the back) |
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| July 23, 2007 |
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The essence of Christian discipleship is to serve and not be served, but on occassion the best sevice we can provide another is to allow them to feel the grace of a good deed.
5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
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| July 23, 2007 |
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Here's a slightly different take on this. If we are ALL serving, who are we serving? Someone has to be served. Imagine a restaurant filled with waiters and no patrons. In other words, someone is going to have to be the recipient. At some point in your life, at whatever season, the Lord may put you in a position where you are going to have to sit. It is always easier to run a race then it is to sit and watch it go by. Praise be to God for moving you into that house at this point in time, Mike! But keep in mind while you are serving them, that in their minds they are thinking, I used to be able to do that. It's a hard thing to let go of the independence that once was theirs. It's not always an issue of sinful pride... perhaps it's just one more step in the process of surrendering it all. (not that I thought you thought they were prideful... just making a point) For some reason this is a topic that's close to my heart, can't imagine why...... have a star. |
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| July 23, 2007 |
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Candice, those are interesting thoughts, thank you! I don't consider our dear neighbors to be prideful at all. (I know, you didn't say we did.) On the contrary I believe the Lord has humbled them in life and made them into two wonderful reflections of his Son. We are happy to serve them! And your right, everyone can't be a server. We are blessed to belong to a church with many servers, so that comment is very relevant!
Patrick, excellent point (as usual). Sometimes God puts us in a place to be served by someone else who's time has come to give grace. It's part of his plan! ~mike |
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| July 23, 2007 |
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In reading Candice's point I thought to myself that the reason there will always be someone to sit in those chairs and receive from others is because of the original sin... If we were still in a perfect world we would likely not have to help and serve others... Not sure how relevant that is to this discussion, but it kinda made me think of how some people may need the help, not because of their own doing, but because of the fallen world we live in. Cheers and God Bless |
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| July 23, 2007 |
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| Thanks JJ, that's a deep thought!! (and very relevant, IMO) ~mike |
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| July 24, 2007 |
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Thanks Mike any story of neighbors being neighborly kind of warms my heart. My neighbors have been on my heart a lot lately. They aren't saved but they are the sweetest couple. I hope I can somehow find a way to demonstrate Christ's love to them. But having had a stroke a few years ago it's going to be difficult being of much help.
I guess Love comes from the spirit not the flesh anyway
Love.
Dave |
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| July 24, 2007 |
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| Mike i know the boat is full but i'll have to jump aboard anyway i have never been one to sit back and be served i've always been the one serving and it hit me one day when my daughter in law took me by the shoulders and said" You are robbing me from my blessings when you won't recieve from me anything i try to do"......WOW eye opener but i was always taught it's better to give than to recieve.....Well that' s just not so.............. both are good................i can get into the being served now maybe it has to do with my age too....can't do marathons any more....lol |
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| July 24, 2007 |
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| dopelessdave, God may have put you in a place of dependency on grace moreso than a giver of grace, and that's ok! As Rosie says above, one who is in a position to receive acts of grace can set someone up for blessing from the Lord. Rosie, that was a powerful comment -- "robbing me from my blessings". Whoa! Really illustrates well the point that Paul was making, that by being the recipient of graceful treatment at the hands of your daughter in law you may see her account credited by God. :-) ...very cool! Thanks for posting that! ~mike |
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| July 24, 2007 |
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| It is hard to be served by others, especially when we are "doers". But think of how good you feel in serving others...we can't deny them the opportunity to serve when it comes around, because they get that good feeling too. Thanks for another great post! |
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| July 24, 2007 |
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Mike,
I like the grace talk here on this Blog. I see where everyone is coming from and it made me think...hmmmmm.
Is it truly grace if we are doing it to get a reward? Can grace be bought or rewarded?
Just a thought.
JR |
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| August 01, 2007 |
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Hi JR! Here's my attempt to answer the questions you asked.
1) Is it truly grace if we are doing it to get a reward? No. Grace (unmerited favor) is unrelated to rewards and punishments. Grace = gift.
2) Can grace be bought or rewarded? Bought, no. Then it wouldn't appropriately be called grace. Rewarded? Yes. I reward my children richly when they treat one another with grace, as opposed to giving us what they deserve, which is usually hitting them or calling them names. I believe God rewards us as well when we imitate Him and live gracefully towards others. |
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