Touching Grace

Years ago, I befriended someone who wasn't always considered the most liked person in the bunch. Quite funny, I must admit because til' this day many people can't even tell you why they didn't like her. I befriended someone who was often ridiculed for things that didn't concern anyone else, one way or the other. I befriended a person who had real life issues just like the rest of us. The difference was that this person didn't hide those issues like many of us choose to do. I befriended someone who wasn't ashamed to be who she was and someone who had not even scratched the surface of all that life had to offer her.

From day one, I watched as people would throw stones and hide their hands at my best friend. For some reason, the most hate would always seem to come from those who claimed to be followers of our Jesus Christ. I cannot number the many experiences where I have had to defend my friend, myself, and our friendship all because these people could not see beyond whatever issues they felt that she had. I said all of that to ask, "As those who claim to love God and be His disciples, how many times have we allowed our preexisting beliefs and expectations to influence our judgments of God's people?"

It amazes me how easy it is for many of us to live in glass houses and throw all the stones in the world. Literally, we all often deal with the same situations but will still find a way to point out why "their situation is worse". In essence, it is really just our way of masking the hurt and embarrassment that originate within our ugly truths. Our realities will not always be pretty, but oh, how human it would only make us to recognize that we all deal or struggle with the same things at some point in life. And, oh, how human it would only make us to realize that our "not so pretty" realities still don't define who we really are.

Anyone I choose to befriend, I make the choice to see pass the exterior of who the world judges them as or the issues that they wrestle with, and even the things that I dislike about them. Instead, I choose to see their hearts and base the essence of our relationship off that one important factor. I'm not a fool by any means necessary, but what I am is a human being who has many times shed tears in exchange for forgiveness, acceptance, and Grace. And what I have learned is that when you can't look beyond someone's flesh and see their heart then something is wrong with your heart.

I see beyond people's issues, especially those I love, because their soul means more to me than my pride or what the world says about them. Every time I blog, I say the same thing about our struggles and issues and that is they are only tiny fragments of our being. Fragments that are capable of vanishing and being made into something new and whole through the gift of love. You would be amazed at the difference of what your love could do for a person's life. When we spend time pointing fingers and throwing people away, we lose out on seeing them being made whole and learning about the Grace that God personally has for each of us. The Grace that He uses to cover our flaws.

Grace is an enabling power. It is the evidence of divine love. It’s a power that helps us accomplish what we can’t do on our own and one that helps us overcome our personal weaknesses. The Savior spoke, saying, “My grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.” So what makes your right to Grace different than mine?

It is not an abstract concept that is only allowed to a specific set of people. It can be seen, smelled, tasted, heard, and touched. Everywhere we look, there is Grace. With gratitude, we come to realize that our every breath, our every heartbeat are all given to us by and through the Grace of Jesus Christ and He wants us all to allow people the chance to touch it. What a difference it would make if we gave each person the opportunity to touch Grace.

Blessings & Grace!