Evidences of Grace

At the end of my work day today, I had a conversation with Teresa that reminded me of some sweet truths. As we spoke about her relationship with an unbeliever in her life who is going through a significant trial, we recounted the hopelessness you have for such times without Christ. And we can often feel helpless to help those who don't want the only hope we have to offer: salvation in Christ. So what can you do? Is there anything beyond commiserating with them? Their unbelieving friends will do that, and very unhelpfully as well. How can we offer words and actions that guard against reinforcing a worldly and fleshly indulgence in gossip, slander, despair, anger, depression, and unbelief? How can we instead be salt and light?

With my Christian friends, a main way I can live life with them and be an encouragement is to point out evidences I see of God's grace in their lives. God may show me something that they don't see, or he may refresh my soul with their clear sight of his goodness where I am blind in particulars. That's a wonderful purpose in fellowship. God's grace is everywhere, and we can never exhaust the end of seeing it in a single life in a single day. His common grace is also lavish to unbelievers. They are part of this world where he causes the sun to rise and set on the good and evil alike (Matt. 5:45). For example, this week we've had simply gorgeous weather, and it's not only children of God who are being blessed by it. They also benefit from the restraint he has put on evil in this world. There are plentiful examples of how they benefit from his goodness and grace each day, even though they are blind to it.
As Teresa and I spoke longer, she started recounting some good things she sees in her friend and her situation. This is God's grace! And that is worth highlighting, even if they seem meager offerings in our eyes. And we should not merely highlight good, but make a point to comment on how it's because of Christ that these good things exist in their lives.

It hit me that it's very similar to simply preaching the gospel to yourself around non-Christians. Often I have found that those who won't hear the truth of the gospel spoken directly to them have a softer heart when I'm applying it to myself in their ear shot. Or sometimes they take offense, saying, "You're not that bad! Don't be so hard on yourself." But then I am able to apply the gospel and it is hard for them to be more defensive of me than I am of myself. That's what I've found at times, and I don't know how well I just explained it. But I bring it up because it hit me that there is a similar connection to the above situation. Preaching the gospel is something we need to do to our own hearts, to other Christians, and to the lost. Pointing out evidences of grace and crediting God for them is something we need to do in our own hearts, in the lives of other Christians, and in our interactions with non-Christians. There is not a single soul exempt from the need of grace. God has poured it out generously, so I want to see it and talk about it more and more each day to whoever is in my path.

photo: 10/26/2008 - Krista, Kiera, & Elya at a Doxa meeting