Grace

Contributor: Michelle Smeby

I had a dream where I needed to borrow a computer for a presentation I was giving. It was unclear whether I or my partner in the presentation was supposed to leave the note, saying when we would return the computer. Regardless, a note was not left, and the woman who needed and had expected the computer to be where she had left it found it missing.

In the dream, when I returned the computer, the woman was extremely gracious about the fact that the computer had not been there when she needed it. However, I became extremely defensive about the fact that I had just borrowed it for a short while, and it was due to my anger that the tone of the situation completely changed. The woman behaved throughout the entire situation with grace and poise, while I had not.

It is important to remember that we receive grace everyday. In other peoples’ words, deeds, and actions, we are granted and receive the light and the gift of God. It is up to us to decide how we choose to react.

There are people in this world who embody the grace of God, their every breath and word exude the light of God’s love. These people give without thought of receiving, and are humble when their actions are reflected back upon them. They do not choose to act for the promise of reward, but choose to speak and think and do based on what they know to be right, and loving, and kind.

For consideration:

We find grace everywhere throughout the world: in every child’s schoolroom, in every language, in every devotional praise. Grace does not need to be named, grace just flows through the hearts and minds of those who choose to express it.

Grace is a gift that is sitting, beautifully wrapped with a shining bow in front of all of us, just waiting for us to choose to open and embrace it. May god’s grace be with us all, always!