SEASONED GRACE

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Hatmaker said, “You’d be surprised how powerful kindness actually is. I am not being dramatic: you can save hearts and lives with grace.”

I would say kindness yes, and grace for sure but also with equal parts truth.

The Bible says it this way…

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt...Colossians 4:6 (ESV)

I really like that passage.

It encourages us to always operate from a position of grace as well as from a position of truth; it is the concept of ‘seasoned grace’.

“You are the salt of the earth,” Jesus said. “But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything” (Matthew 5:13 (NIV)

We are constantly given opportunities to SPEAK and ACT with grace and truth.  And as followers of Jesus we should always be about the business of seeking the best in others and offering seasoned grace when engaged or asked.

That means we should always be:

Sensitive to our surroundings.

Ready with a good word from GOD’s WORD.

Ready to extend kindness.

Seeking to administer grace without compromising truth.

Friends, we are called through our words and our actions to make known the One who was a friend of sinners and the transformer of lives.  And when we are diligent to combine both our compassion for people and a passion for truth, GOD IS FAITHFUL TO open the doors as to the ACTION needed!

Remember:

People today should only have to look at us to see what Jesus is like.  For better or worse, they’ll draw conclusions about Christ from what they see in us.  If we fail the grace test, we fail to be Christlike.  If we fail the truth test, we fail to be Christlike.  If we pass both tests, we’re like Jesus.” - Alcorn

And that is the goal, right?

So be ready to share your “seasoned grace” today!

I love you all!

Have a blessed weekend!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE