What is grace?

Culture changes with each generation. When I studied abroad in Chile, we had an assignment to interview three generations of people on the meaning of colloquialisms in Chile, or "chileanismos." Each generation had a different meaning for each phrase and these phrases were unique to Chile.

I have been pondering how terms I use to describe my faith are interpreted in different ways depending on the person with whom I am speaking. For example, the word “grace” is one that seems to have so much power when spoken in the context of my place of worship and a mutual understanding, but I find it has different meanings in different contexts and how it is interpreted. What is this grace? What does it mean?

For me when I think people who are full of grace, they are more interested in the relationship than keeping the law. Andy Griffith was full of grace, in my opinion. He related to the people in his town and validated his respect for them as a person and then from that place talked to them about their actions. He listened, asked questions with compassion and love and did not always share his opinion. He was not eager to throw Gomer in prison but he did for Gomer's own safety, being honest to the law but always believing he could change and giving him another chance. Gomer knew he was loved and respected Andy for this. Barney Fife stuck to the rules and shamed people, and people did not seem to respect him. They did not feel heard or understood. They just received a ticket. Andy Griffith showed grace, but still upheld justice for the good of everyone. He was full of grace and truth, just like Jesus.

I decided to interview a variety of people in town to find out their thoughts. I was at the gym when the Lord put this word on my heart to explore, so the first person I interviewed was a person from the gym. Here is how he defined grace:

"It has to do with giving, thankfulness, selflessness.”

Afterwards, I went out on the trail to walk. It was a beautiful cloudy day that had warmed up to the 40s with no wind so I was grateful to the Lord for this opportunity to get out and get some fresh air in February after having been sick the last several days. I said “hi” to the people on the trail- the first one seemed to be hurting and barely lifted his head, the second in a hurry and the third seemed jovial and eager to say “hi.” After he passed, without thinking much about it, I turned and asked if I could ask him a question for a blog. He was happy to answer. After thinking a moment, he said,

"Grace is forgiveness. It's interesting that you would ask that question for where I am at."

Later he passed me again and shared with me that he felt something go through him after I asked that question. I wonder if it was the Spirit because this blog was not something that I planned; it’s something the Spirit put on my heart to explore that morning. He is teaching me more about grace.

In the evening of the same day, I was talking with a friend and sister-in-Christ, whose prayers of faith and words of faith send a powerful healing force throughout my mind, soul and body. I told her about my reflection on grace throughout the day and asked her how she would define grace.

She started by saying, ““What I believe is…” Then, she shared how she read about how Paul would say “Grace and Peace to you.” She continued,

“Then I began to understand this magnificent gift of salvation. I started to realize that grace is unmerited. Through Him all things were created. Without Him nothing has been created. In Him is life. And in Him is the light of man. God is always speaking. He is always releasing energy. (Hebrews 1) Now He speaks through His Son, who is the radiance of Himself. He is light. He is energy. And all of that becomes grace. Grace becomes a force working within us. He is releasing something to as many as received this..this light. John references Jesus as light and energy. No longer do I live. I let Christ live in me. Our part is simply to open up and receive it. When we try to get it, we can’t because grace is a gift. Then I started to realize that grace is a person. It is the energy working within me. We can block all that God has for us by being religious. The key is to rest and be open. Listening and receiving. We open and let Him in. When we strive we cannot receive it. We block all that is coming towards us...I try to surrender to Him. When He takes over, He takes over. Listening is surrender. You surrender your own dialogue. We surrender to listen. Submit one to another. – boils down to listening to one another. The secret place of the most high. We’re opening up to dwell with Him.”

Her response helped me to understand and process grace in a deeper way and understand what happened when I felt a force of grace come into me when someone said “Grace, grace” after a time of dwelling with the Lord in community. One day in January when I was leaving a worship/prayer time with my church community, I shared with someone that I was recovering from a cold. They showed understanding and reached out their hand in the air in my direction and said "grace, grace." I literally felt peace rush into my body. Although the person did not realize the significance of those words to me, Jesus knew I needed those words that day, and Jesus extended His grace and peace to me through a force of peace into my soul. That week, I discovered the power of the simple spoken word...grace. I spoke this to a stranger, friend and family member in their angst, and they slowed down and received it with almost a sigh of relief and said "thank you."

There is something to this grace. Graham Cooke describes operating in the Spirit as doing the opposite that my flesh wants to do. When I want to respond in my flesh, I can go to God and ask him to help me respond in the opposite way, in the Spirit of love, peace and grace. This is not easy, and I do not always do this. I am still learning. This is where I discover the truth of what my friend shared with me: that love is a muscle. We have to use it for it to get stronger. Graham Cooke would say, we get to practice our peace and love. He would also say that we can't strive to be more peaceful or loving. We receive the gift of love, the gift of peace from our Father in heaven. We surrender our pride, selfish desires, feelings and understanding and ask him to give us a new heart. His heart.

Grace to you, dear reader. I pray that these reflections will bring peace and grace to you that will in return spread to those around you. What is grace? Have you received it? Do you extend it? Who in your life models grace? How would you explain grace to someone? I do not have all the answers. I want to understand God’s grace and also to understand how to become grace-filled. Grace dispels shame and sets us free....and others free. I am still on that journey towards grace. One final reflection of my own from the past couple of years is that no one will ever understand or be able to unpack the hurt and pain in our hearts better than Jesus. As I release my pain to Him and receive His gift of grace, I can then extend grace...and it will be reflected back.

This has been an interesting journey this week on learning about grace. I hope to continue to learn and grow in grace and have further conversations from this about grace. Below is a journey through Scripture looking at what verses help to explain grace and the overflow of this grace. Lord, thank you for your gift of grace.

Scriptures on Grace

“One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend.” -Proverbs 22:11 NIV

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” -John 1:14 NIV

“Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.” -John 1:16 NIV

“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” -John 1:17 NIV

“Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.” -Acts 6:8 NIV

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." -Romans 5:8

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God…” -Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV