Coffee and Grace

                Looking back on things, I will admit that I was probably not the easiest child to be patient with. For example, I have been drinking coffee since I was thirteen, and one morning, I walked over to the table to grab my coffee cup when it slipped out of my hand. Coffee went flying all over the carpet and made a huge (about 4 ft. by 4ft.) splash mark against the wall. The wall was more of a chalk-like texture, so getting the coffee out of the wall was not easy. This happened just this morning before my husband left for work and I have had plenty of years to work on my coordination. When I was a child, I flooded my parents house, totaled their car, broke many dishes and knick-knacks, and none of these things were done intentionally. I was not even breaking the rules when I did these things; I am just clumsy.

                In Romans 5, Paul explains how we are declared sinful through our nature that is passed down from Adam and made righteous through faith in Jesus. He explains that death came as a result of Adam’s sin, but as a result of faith in Jesus, life is restored. He says in verse 17, “Since by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.”  This verse made me wonder if I act like death or life reigns in my life.

                What rules my life, grace or sin? When someone does something wrong to me, am I quick to blame them or quick to forgive? Am I patient with others as the Lord is patient with me? What would happen if my first reaction was to forgive rather than hold a grudge? I believe that when a fellow believer in Christ sins against me (rather than making a clumsy mistake) that the most loving thing I can do is confront them gently about their sin rather than let them continue to disrespect the very just and powerful God to Whom they have sworn allegiance. Although forgiveness should be given freely, it is not always given without addressing the issue. In light of this, it is not always my first instinct to forgive or to confront what was done, but instead I want to silently hold that person responsible for what they have done without giving them any opportunity to apologize. I want my first instinct to be to give grace and love freely.

                Dear Lord, teach me to extend grace like the grace You have shown me. Help me to be so filled with Your love that my first reaction is to forgive and love when something goes wrong. Show me how to let grace reign in my life rather than sin. Amen.