Why Showing Grace to Others Is So Important

“Grace is not a little prayer you say before a meal. It’s a way to live.” 

GRACE – what a powerful, yet often misunderstood demonstration of love.

It is, by far, one of the most important gifts we can give to others, but is rarely our first response.

Why is that?

It comes so naturally for us to expect that we are shown grace, yet we can be quick to judge whether someone else is deserving of the same grace we desire for ourselves. 

On the surface, we can all clink our favorite wine glasses to the idea that extending grace to others is a good thing. And we understand how important it really is. 

We want to show grace to others.

But goodness… it can be REALLY hard sometimes.

The first step toward equipping yourself to be a grace giver is checking yourself for any unrealistic expectations you might have for that person. 

Set aside any judgment or speculations you might have concerning their motives or intent. 

Next, give them permission to be themselves. Not only will the words you speak create that space for them, but so will your body language, your countenance, and what kind of listener you are.

Grace in action means you give others the time, energy, space to be a work in progress.

Now, here is where the waters can get a little muddy. 

NEWS FLASH: Relationships can be complicated. Tell you something you don’t know, right?

A conflict we often encounter in relationships is knowing where to draw the line between grace and personal responsibility.

How do we know when to show grace… and when to let them sleep in the bed they made?

Here’s the deal. 

When we contribute to an environment in which grace is expected and consequences are never experienced, the result is entitled individuals unable to take ownership of their decisions and their life. Not good.

However, when responsibility is the target and grace is withheld, the outcome will be broken, hurting individuals who find their identity in their performance alone. Also not good.

Sister, we’re all a hot mess livin’ each day we’ve been given to the best of our ability. 

Some days we nail it… and some days we fall flat on our face. None of us have this gig we call “life” figured out. 

We have a responsibility and obligation to encourage one another, and push each other to keep on keepin’ on and be the best we can be.

WHO in your life needs a heavy dose of grace today? 

Go find them… and give BIG.