Grace abounding!

I have a good friend who clearly has a gift from God of generosity. He is very thoughtful and attentive to situations and people around him, continually looking for the opportunity to bless or give. I’m sure you would agree that this is a very attractive quality – especially if you have been on the receiving end! It’s great to be around people like that!

There are other people I know who, how can I put it, are either oblivious to everyone & everything outside of themselves or are just plain mean-spirited. And who likes to be around them?

This has a bearing on something that is very much on my mind on the moment, namely the fact that the Apostle Paul repeatedly uses the phrase ‘in Christ’ to describe the life of a Christian. For Paul, a Christian is someone who has had a dynamic encounter with Jesus Christ, as a result of which, he or she has died to themselves and now lives this new ‘resurrection’ life that flows out of the fact that Jesus is alive, present and active in us by the Spirit. If it’s real, then it must issue forth in a changed life – albeit step by step as we discover God’s grace for each situation, including grace to put us back on our feet when we fall.

So those ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ bands that the younger generation sometimes wear are totally appropriate for many life situations. After all, I want to be like Jesus, don’t you? So be provoked by my friend, and be alert, looking for every opportunity to exceed in this grace of giving – just as Jesus continues to lavishly pour his grace and goodness on us. That’s what he’s like!

Goff