Offering Grace

"One who loves a pure heart and speaks with grace will have the king for a friend." 

Proverbs 22:11

Grace. I've been told it is "God's Riches At Christ's Expense." God gave us his best while we were at our worst. He saw beyond our state of sin and saw to the beautiful creation he made us to be. 

Lately I've been pondering the thought of offering someone grace. I used to think that just meant overlooking their offenses. You know, to look past the things that someone does that can be offensive to us, seeing past the things they do that go against God's word. But I'm seeing that offering grace is deeper than just overlooking an offense. 

Let me explain further.  In light of my own sin and the forgiveness God has afforded me, I do not hold another person's offense against them. I am no greater than he/she, and my sin is no less sin. Before the throne of God, my sin will not be counted less because of the human way in which we categorize sin. Because of my own sin, I am not worthy of God's love. But by his grace God pardons my sin and in return lavishes his love on me. He sees the good in me and he celebrates it even when the bad is present. His grace covers me. 

When I offer another person grace, I don't just look past their offense, I also have to ask God to help me see them as they are meant to be. I am to lavish love on them! I see them for who they were created to be... a beautiful child of God. Even while they are in their state of sin, I can see beyond to their potential. If we only overlook the offense, we often also overlook the person. Grace dismisses the sin/offense, but embraces the individual! And that is the part that in all practicality is often forgotten. 

Who in your life needs some grace from you? As you offer them grace, remember to look to God so he can show you who he wants them to become. Look to see their beauty in spite of their 'ugly!'