The Face of Grace

Grace, you’ve heard of it.  Realize it or not, you’ve experienced it to some degree.    Few other words produce more discussion, emotion, debate. I recently looked up grace on Amazon.com under the heading of Religion and Spirituality, and found 6531 books on the subject.   In the Bible we find that we are ‘saved by grace’ and ‘called unto grace’.  We are challenged to ‘grow in grace’, ‘continue in grace’, not to ‘receive grace in vain’, and to ‘let your speech be always with grace’.  

No wonder so much time has been spent dissecting the word.  Grace is amazing.  1 Peter 4:10 calls it manifold. Manifold means multicolored; various in character.  It is not wrong to define, grasp or read about what grace is.  However, more important than defining grace is that we recognize, receive and distribute grace to our world.  Charles Swindoll says “It’s time for grace to be awakened and released, not denied... to be enjoyed and freely given, not debated.”

In his book, What’s So Amazing About Grace, Phillip Yancey never actually tries to define grace.  As a matter of fact he says:   “Grace can be dissected as a frog, but the thing dies in the process, and the innards are discouraging to any but the pure scientific mind. I have just read a thirteen-page treatise on grace in the New Catholic Encyclopedia, which has cured me of any desire to dissect grace and display its innards ... For this reason, I will rely more on stories than syllogisms (deductive reasoning or crafty argument).  In sum, I would far rather convey grace than explain it!”    

That’s it!  As Christians our challenge is not to explain amazing grace, but to convey grace to our grace hungry world.   Manifold grace could simply be called the characteristics or expressions of grace.  We are called to experience and display the outward expression or the face of grace.

Sometimes we miss seeing or displaying the grace of God because we only look for it in the fantastic.

 However, grace is expressed in everything from the simple to the profound.   Grace is a song in the heart on a bad day.  Grace is a word of encouragement for the discouraged. Grace inspire hope for the hopeless.  Grace is gratitude for what we do have in a time where we don’t seem to have much.  Grace is a smile when a frown would be easier.  Grace is taking time to enjoy the moment.   Grace is helping someone we are not equipped to help. Grace is an act of service to the undeserving.  Grace is paying what the debtor can not pay.   Grace is loving the unlovable.  Grace is forgiveness for the unforgivable.   Grace is salvation to the unsaved.   Grace is amazing!  And every Christian has been given Charisma or gifts of grace to share with our world.   As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4:10  

You are the only Jesus some of your friends have ever met.  When they meet you are they coming face to face with an expression of His grace or are they meeting a cheap imitation? 

P.S.  I would like to hear from you.  I believe all of our lives have been impacted many  times through someone else’s grace inspired action.   Would you please send me a short testimony of how you experienced the face of grace through someone else?