Grace

Grace is Gods gift to mankind.  With such a  great gift comes immense responsibility.  Is the expectation that of perfection.  No.  But it is to stop expecting perfection of everyone else.  We all stumble.  We all fall.  But we all have been given grace.

We have been given forgiveness, but we don't forgive so easily.  I was talking with a friend today and a memory was brought back.  The memory was of a friend who found herself pregnant out of wedlock.  This friend was not married but they were committed to marriage, and now their baby on the way.   She was asked to step down from our choir as it wouldn't look good.  However, a male counterpart in a similar situation only no committed relationship was allowed to keep his position.  When asked why, it was because people could visually see the evidence of her sin, while his was not front and center.

Talking with my friend and remembering this I said to her in words I wished I'd had then...All of us have a scarlet letter.  All of us fall short,  Without exception.  So, why shame one and not all.

This was on my heart and why I share it here today.

See the pregnant girl
  Give her Grace for letting life live instead of shame for a mistake.

See the angry mom
  Give her Grace for the morning of constant battles, backaches and dirty dishes instead of mean glares for       having a bad moment.

See the child throwing a fit
  Give Grace for the child whose tummy hurts, muscles ache, and to whom the world seems a constant confusion; for to you it may seem like a spoiled brat but for them life is a struggle.

See the man looking with disgust at the children laughing around him
  Give Grace for he was told he would never have one and his heart breaks but our world doesn't allow for a    man's heart to.

See the homeless man
   Give Grace because he tried, he was once a productive member of society and became it's out cast,    and now all he wants is someone to call him by name.

Give grace
   for it is easy to judge, but remember eyes are watching you too.


I for sure need to remember these words.  Even the smaller imperfections need Grace too.